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Do you own a dollar bearing the date 1621 on the reverse and a portrait of a Native American woman on the obverse? If you do, then you have a Wampanoag Treaty dollar coin. Although sometimes referred to as a 1621 dollar coin, it is not from the 1600s. Instead, it was minted by the US Mint in 2011.
The Wampanoag Treaty $1 coin was minted as part of a series featuring a Native American on the front with a different reverse design each year. In this article, we explore what the dollars minted in 2011 are worth. So continue reading to learn about the 1621 dollar coin value.
1621 Dollar Coin Values
Coins are valued based on their condition, scarcity, and collectability among other factors. Because the 2011 Sacagawea dollars are still fairly common even at the higher grades, they generally sell for a few hundred dollars at best.
However, coin prices can change, so it is important to do your research on the latest prices before you buy or sell any collectible coins. Websites as the Coin Value Checker can be really useful when researching coins to buy or sell.
| Mint Facility | G – XF | AU | MS65/ PR65 | MS68/ PR68 | PR70 |
| Philadelphia | $1.05 | $1.10 | $10 | $200 |
– |
| Denver | $1.05 | $1.10 | $10 | $75 |
– |
| San Francisco |
– |
– |
$7 | $10 | $55 – $90 |
Philadelphia 1621 Dollar Coin Value
In 2011, the Philadelphia Mint produced 29,400,000 for circulation. The coins minted in Philadelphia can be identified by the absence of the mint mark on the coin’s edge. Because of the large mintage, the 2011-D Sacagawea coins are not worth much over their face value at lower grades.
When graded between good and extra fine, the 1621 dollar coins are worth only a fraction more than their face value at $1.05. At about circulated, they are valued at $1.10 and at MS60 $1.60. Their values begin to climb from MS65, with coins at this grade valued at $10. At MS67 they are worth $25 and MS68 $200.
Denver 1621 Dollar Coin Value
The Denver mint facility minted 48,160,000 Sacagawea dollar coins in 2011. To check if you have a coin minted in Denver, look for a capital letter D on the coin’s edge. Despite a higher mintage than in Philadelphia, the values of both coin varieties are very similar.
In fact, there is no difference in the valuations until grade MS68. At this grade, the Denver-produced coins are valued a lot lower than Philadelphia-minted coins, at $75 compared to $200. This is because there are higher-grade coins still available. 2011-D 1621 coins are valued at $325 when graded as MS69.
San Francisco 1621 Dollar Coin Value
In 2011, the San Francisco Mint only produced proof dollar coins. These are coins struck on special planchets (blank coins). They are not minted for circulation but are sold for coin collectors. The number of proof 1621 dollar coins minted in 2011 was 1,673,010
Proof coins are graded slightly differently from regular strike coins since they are struck differently and often carefully stored by collectors to protect them from damage. PR63 Sacagawea dollars from 2011 are worth $5, while a PR69 dollar is worth $16. However, recently PR69 graded coins have sold for less on eBay, between $6.51 and $12.50
1621 Dollar Coin Auction Records
Sometimes at auctions, coins can achieve sale prices that are wildly over the guide price. So far, this has not yet happened with the 2011 Sacagawea dollar coins. The current auction records are very much in line with the average price for the grade.
For the 2011 no mint mark dollar the auction records are $240 for a position A coin and $224 for a position B coin. Both coins were graded as S68. The auction record for a position B, MS68 graded coin minted in Denver is $114.
The highest auction record belongs to a 2011-D$1 coin, in position A and graded at MS69. It achieved $400 at a 2016 Heritage Auctions. The auction records for proof coins are $190 for PR70DCAM and $338 for PR70DCAM First Strike. The DCAM stands for a deep cameo, which refers to the quality of the coin’s surface)
Background on the 1621 Dollar Coin
In 2011, the US Mint produced Sacagawea dollars at three mint facilities: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. In total, the three mint facilities produced 79,233,010 Wampanoag Treaty dollar coins.
The full theme of the reverse design of the coin was “Supreme Sachem Ousamequin, Massasoit of the Great Wampanoag Nation Creates Alliance with Settlers at Plymouth Bay (1621).”
The design was chosen to commemorate the formal peace treaty between the Wampanoag Indians and the English settlers in Patuxet, which is now known as Plymouth, Massachusetts. The document, which included six provisions, is possibly the first written treaty between European settlers and Native Americans.
In the treaty, Ousamequin, who was the Massasoit, meaning head chief of the Wampanoag’s, promised they would defend the English settlers against attacks by hostile tribes. In return, the English would intervene if the Wampanoag’s were attacked. The treaty lasted for over 50 years.
Who Was Sacagawea?
The 1621 dollar coins belong to a series of American dollars named after Sacagawea, a Shoshone Indian woman. She is known for being part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the Pacific Northwest and the Louisiana Purchase.
Sacagawea was about twelve years old when a Hidatsa raiding party captured her. They sold her to a French Canadian fur trader, with whom she had a son Jean Baptiste. She became involved in the expedition through her husband who was hired as a translator.
During the expedition, Sacagawea herself served them as an interpreter. She also helped by making moccasins and clothing and finding edible plants. It also led to positive interactions with other Native Americans the expedition encountered.
Obverse Design of the 1621 Dollar Coin
The obverse design features a portrait of Sacagawea. She is looking over her right shoulder and carries her son, Jean Baptiste on her pack. The word LIBERTY is inscribed above her head and the phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is on the left of the coin, above her son’s head.
Reverse Design of the 1621 Dollar Coin
On the reverse of the 1621 dollar coin is an image commemorating the 1621 treaty. It features the hands of Governor John Carver and the Ousamequin Massoit. The chief of the Wampanoag Indians offers the peace pipe to Governor Carver following the initiation of the first written peace treaty between a Native American tribe and European settlers.
The denomination of the coin $1 is above the peace pipe and the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA begin above the peace pipe on the left and finish above Governor Carver’s hand. The words Wampanoag Treaty and the date 1621 are below the central image.
Other Design Details
The edge of the 2011 Sacagawea dollar coin is inscribed with the mint date 2011, the mint mark on coins minted in Denver (D) and San Francisco (S), and the Latin phrase E PLURIBUS UNUM, meaning “Out of many, one”. There is no mint on coins minted by the Philadelphia Mint.
The coin is made with a manganese-brass metal alloy and weighs 8.1 g. It has a diameter of 26.49 mm and it is 2 mm thick. There are no reeds on the edge of the coin as it includes the above-mentioned inscriptions.
How Are 1621 Dollar Coins Graded?
The dollar coins minted in 2011 with the inscription of the year 1621, are graded on a scale used for all coins and known as the Sheldon scale. This scale uses letters and numbers to allow sellers and buyers to quickly gauge the condition of the coin.
Coins that show a lot of wear and tear and the details are not easily identifiable are graded as PO1, for poor. The scale progresses through various grades of good and fine, including fine, very fine, and extra fine. Coins that are almost as good as uncirculated coins start from the numeric grade 50 and use the letters AU for about uncirculated.
Coins that were meant for circulation but are in mint state condition are graded from MS60 to MS70. The letters MS stand for mint state. The grade MS70 is only used for coins that are in perfect condition. It is rare to find coins at MS70 among mintages meant for circulation.
Conclusion
The values of 1621 dollar coins minted in 2011 are not very high and you can purchase coins in the lower grades for just over their face value. Even MS-graded coins are affordable and can be a great way for new coin collectors to start their collection. Since coin values will often change, it could be a way to invest in coins that have the potential to grow in value in years to come.
