Generally, Sacagawea coins are not made of real gold. The circulating Sacagawea dollar coins, first issued by the U.S. Mint from 2000 to 2008 and again from 2009-2011, are known as the “Golden Dollar” due to their color . However, this color comes from a manganese-brass alloy that is used for the outer layer of the coin over a pure copper core. This composition includes:
- 88.5% copper
- 6% zinc
- 3.5% manganese
- 2% nickel
Therefore, the regular Sacagawea dollar coins circulating in the U.S. do not contain any gold.
However, the U.S. Mint did release a commemorative 24-karat gold proof coin to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sacagawea Golden Dollar in 2025. This special coin contains one-half ounce of .9999 fine 24-karat gold and is considered among the world’s purest gold coins. It was minted at the West Point Mint. This is a collector’s item and not a circulating coin.
