Face Of The $1 US Sacajawea coin. Eagle back, 2000 P Photo: Lenny “Lensworth” Frieling

Sacajawea is forever tied to Boulder. With a coin face designed by famous sculpture Glenna Goodacre, mother of Boulder’s own Jill Goodacre Connick, on the $1.00 coin, Sacajawea was in part guide, in part translator, peacemaker/peacekeeper/, and mother. She had to  walk 5,000 to 6,000 miles. Wages: poor? Place in history: huge.  Hours: 24/7. Native American essential.  Multilingual, and willing to walk around the entire Louisiana Purchase land as a portion  of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Or so her job request might have been written. 

I wonder how hard it was to fill that job description. The role was filled by a Shawnee American Native, Sacajawea. I can only ponder that it was a deep curiosity coupled with infinite energy, an amazing skill set, and stupendous strength of muscle and character that Sacajawea brought to the table.  Having just given birth to Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, she carried him on her back for the trip. Her roles included guiding, translating, peacemaking, with the baby showing that the expedition was not a war party, and more. for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The coin celebrated the Indian Citizen Act of 1924.  

Back of the Sacajawea coin. Eagle? feathers. Photo: Lenny “Lensworth” Frieling

Sacajawea and Boulder are like two sides of a coin. One side of the coin is Sacajawea carrying her infant son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. The other side varies, with some carrying the American Flag while other coin backs symbolize the harvest. What binds the two sides of the “golden coin” is Sacajawea, one of the most famous of the Shawnee Native Americans.  Her infant is the most unusual parts of the Sacajawea coin, being, I believe, the only infant featured on any American coin at any time.  The famous Shawnee and her daughter decorate the face/front of the $1.00 coin which replaced the Susan B. Anthony $1. 00 US coin. Her tale is one of fascination, historical importance, and one which continues to today. Jill married Harry Connick Jr. and the Jill Goodacre family is one of the most respected, best known real estate groups in the Boulder area and in Colorado. She has her tale to tell in another blog!  

Sakakawea (Sacajawea) Marker

Some stories do not fade. Some stories get cast into bronze.

Sacajawea is the young Shoshone woman whose life became inseparable from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, whose face became the centerpiece of America’s “golden dollar,” and whose legacy still carries questions, beauty, and meaning more than 200 years later.

And yes… we are also talking about the coin itself. Because this little dollar has secrets.

The Coin Itself: The Golden Dollar That Isn’t Gold

The Sacajawea dollar was introduced in the year 2000 as a replacement attempt for the Susan B. Anthony dollar.

It looks gold, but it is not. It is a manganese-brass clad coin; golden in color, but not precious metal.

Still, it carries enormous symbolic weight. And like so many coins, its story is half art, half politics, and half accident.

The Artists Behind The Sacajawea coin

The obverse (front) was designed by sculptor Glenna Goodacre, Jill’s mother and a famous artist in her own right. Now here is where Boulder gets its Lensworth-local twist:

There is a meaningful Boulder connection with the Goodacre family and business and Boulder as well as to the coin. 

Many Boulder residents have the privilege and good fortune to know Jill, one of the city’s most recognized actors and models. Many know her as one of the original three Victoria’s Secret models and as having married Harry Connick Jr. 

And while Jill is known for Boulder magic, Glenna Goodacre added to her own artist credentials for something very different:

She sculpted Sacajawea. That shared name becomes a fun and unexpected local thread:

The coin itself was put through the government ringer. Governors, committees, and federal design boards all weighed in before Sacajawea became “the face” of the new dollar. And this is just the tip of the iceberg that is Sacajawea! All of these people have Wiki pages and more for the rest of the story. 

Shared Knowledge Is Power!

Lenny “Lensworth” Frieling

FOOTNOTES: 

• Sacajawea
• Jill Goodacre Connick
• Jill Goodacre IMDB
• Lewis and Clark
• Glenna Goodacre 

Sacajawea’s Gravestone

Lenny Frieling Pen Of Justice

• Multi-published and widely syndicated blogger and author.
• Most recently published by Amazon, his first book, "Lensworth"a book of his prize-winning photos.
• University lectures at University of Colorado, Boulder, Denver University Law School, Univ. of New Mexico, Las Vegas NM, and many other schools at all levels. Numerous lectures for the NORML Legal Committee
• Former Judge
• Media work, including starring in episodes of Fox’s Power of Attorney, well in excess of many hundreds media interviews, appearances, articles, and podcasts, including co-hosting Time For Hemp for two years.
• Life Member, NORML Legal Committee, Distinguished Counsel Circle.
• Photographer of the Year, AboutBoulder 2023
• First Chair and Originator of the Colorado Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Committee, a National first.
• Previous Chair, Boulder Criminal Defense Bar (8 years)
• Twice chair Executive Counsel, Colorado Bar Association Criminal Law Section
• Life Member, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
• Board Member Emeritus, Colorado NORML, and prior chair during legalization, as well as pre and post legalization
• Chair, Colorado NORML, 7 years including during the successful effort to legalize recreational pot in Colorado
• Senior Counsel Emeritus to the Boulder Law firm Dolan + Zimmerman LLP : (720)-610-0951
• Board member, Author, and Editor for Criminal Law Articles for the Colorado Lawyer, primary publication of the Colorado Bar Assoc. 7 Years, in addition to having 2 Colorado Lawyer cover photos, and numerous articles for the Colorado Lawyer monthly publication.
• http://www.Lfrieling.com