How was it determined that a woman would be on the Golden Dollar obverse?
In May 1998, Secretary of the Treasury Robert E. Rubin created the Dollar Coin Design Advisory Committee (DCDAC) and charged it with developing a design concept recommendation for the obverse of the new Golden Dollar coin. At that time, he also set these requirements: that the obverse design be of one or more women, that it not depict a living person, and that the design maintain a dignity befitting the Nation’s coinage. The reverse design depicts an eagle, as required by law. Some of the famous American women suggested as candidates for the dollar coin design included Rosa Parks, Betsy Ross, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Follow this Dollar Coin Nominees link to a list of some of the famous women suggested as design candidates by the public. The DCDAC subsequently recommended Sacagawea to the Secretary, who approved the design concept for the obverse of the new dollar coin.
