In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark hired trapper Toussaint Charbonneau to help guide their expedition up the Missouri River. Charbonneau decided to bring his wife, Sacagawea, along on the expedition because she was about to give birth to their son. He also knew that Sacagawea, as a Lemhi Shoshone woman, would be helpful for navigating their region and interpreting for the expedition. Sacagawea proved herself to be a valuable resource and played a vital role in the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
During the expedition, Sacagawea – who was only 17 years old – had just given birth to her first son and was the only woman in the permanent expedition party. Her presence helped highlight the peace and trustworthiness of the expedition, signifying they were not a war party to the various tribes they met along the way. She was able to serve as a guide in the regions of modern-day Idaho and Montana where she grew up, providing invaluable insight for their return journey through the Rocky Mountains. Her work as an interpreter helped Lewis and Clark communicate with the indigenous tribes they encountered along the way, ensuring the group’s safety, and her knowledge of edible plants helped keep the expedition well-fed during their journey.
Despite caring for her newborn the entire journey, Sacagawea helped lead the group, facing the same difficulties as everyone else. She possessed an incredible ability to remain calm in the face of danger and helped the group navigate many difficult situations. Sacagawea saved the expedition during a crisis when one of their boats capsized and many of their supplies fell into the water. While everyone panicked, she calmly jumped in and rescued all their supplies that were crucial to the expedition.
Admiration for Sacagawea was expressed numerous times throughout Lewis and Clark’s journals; there is no question that she was a huge contributor to the expedition’s success. They respected her knowledge of the land, looking to her to choose long-term campsites and lead the expedition through dangerous mountainous routes. Sacagawea may have departed the group at the end of the journey, but she remained friends with the expedition leaders. She even visited Clark in St. Louis, leaving her son to live with him to get a proper education.
In 2000, Sacagawea was chosen to be featured on the new golden dollar. The obverse features a beautiful portrait of the Lemhi Shoshone woman carrying her son on her back in the traditional Hidatsa custom. This highlights how she maintained her role as a mother while helping guide the expedition. The reverse features a proud soaring eagle that represents the freedom and courage Sacagawea demonstrated throughout her life.
Not only are they beautiful coins, but these golden dollars have also been the focus of multiple unique promotions from the United States Mint. In 2000, to promote the new Sacagawea Dollar, 5,500 coins were hidden in random boxes of Cheerios for customers to find. These “Cheerios Dollars” featured a special reverse that wasn’t discovered until years later and are now incredibly rare. In 2009, the U.S. Mint began changing the reverse design every year to honor the significant contributions of numerous Native American individuals and tribes. Most recently, seven 22-karat gold Space Flown Sacagawea Dollars were made available for private ownership. In 1999, a total of 12 gold West Point-minted Sacagawea Dollars were flown into orbit on Space Shuttle Columbia. Upon their return to Earth, these coins were stored in the Fort Knox Bullion Depository, with seven specimens being sold in a historical Stack’s Bowers Galleries auction in September of 2025.