Sequoyah Dollar Coin: History, Design, and Collector Value

Sequoyah Dollar Coin: History, Design, and Collector Value

Many coins portrayed some of the best minds in the nation. Native American dollars are no exception.

What is the Sequoyah native american $1 coin year of release? Who is Sequoyah? Let's learn about that and more.

The Story Behind the Sequoyah Coin

Sequoyah and his coin.

Two stories intermingle here. The story of the coin and the man it features.

The Sequoyah coin was issued in 2017 as part of the Native American $1 Coin Program. This program celebrates the achievements and contributions of Native Americans to U.S. history and culture. Many pieces came from the series, like Elizabeth Peratrovich dollar and Jim Thorpe dollar.


Coin Overview

Country

United States of America

Years of Minting

2017

Type

Commemorative circulating 

Shape

Round

Metal Content

Copper, Zinc, Manganese, and Nickel

Diameter

26.49 mm (1.043 inches)

Weight

8.10 grams (0.286 ounces)

Mintage

Over 2,000,000 bits


Sequoyah $1 honors one of the most influential Native Americans, Sequoyah. He was a member of the Cherokee Nation and the creator of the Cherokee syllabary. A linguist/writer, if we put it in modern terms. 

He alone developed a complete written system for the Cherokee language in the early 19th century. Now, his people could read and write in their own language. Thus culture was preserved.

Now, to preserve Sequoyah’s achievements, a coin was made for him.

Sequoyah сoin design.

The obverse (front): An image of Sacagawea carrying her infant son. Sacagawa is the “poster woman” of all Indian series bits. She was featured on the Wampanoag Treaty dollar, too.

The reverse (back): Sequoyah image. He is writing the characters that spell his name (ᏎᏉᏯ) in the Cherokee language. He is calm, focused, like a true scholar. 

Collecting and Preserving the Sequoyah Coin

Numismatists and history enthusiasts are keen on preserving their dollars. The Sequoyah dollar coin value is not too high materially, but historically, it is endless, and that’s why people are avidly collecting the piece.

The best ways to preserve these dollars:

  • Handle the bits with gloves.

  • Store the pieces in acid-free holders or capsules.

  • Store the bits in a cool and dry place.

Conclusion

This dollar is a reminder. The reminder of a man who gave his people a way to remember their language. Sequoyah, for all his work, deserves a coin in his name.