Sacagawea belongs to the Shoshone tribe. She was a Lemhi Shoshone woman best known for serving as a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition into west America and for being the only woman on the famous excursion. She had also helped to establish cultural contacts with Native American populations in addition to her contributions to natural history.

The history of Sacagawea's life is surrounded by many mysteries and myths. At the age of 11, she was captured by the Hidatsa raiding party and taken from her Shoshone tribe. Later, She was sold into slavery with the Missouri River Mandan’s. In November 1804, she was invited to the by Lewis and Clark expedition and Shoshone interpreter. After the expedition, she died at Fort Manuel in what is now Kennel, South Dakota, circa 1812.

The United States of America had issued this golden dollar coin with the theme of Sacagawea in 2000. The obverse of this coin depicts the bust of Sacagawea carrying her infant son Jean Baptiste, on her back. The reverse side of this coin depicts soaring eagle encircled by 17 stars. The 17 stars represent each state in the Union at the time of the 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition.

Image Courtesy: usmint.gov