U.S. News
New Sacagawea Coin Features Heroic Oneida Patriot
Clear Facts
- The U.S. Mint released a new Sacagawea $1 coin featuring Polly Cooper of the Oneida tribe.
- Polly Cooper delivered vital supplies and taught food preparation to Continental Army troops at Valley Forge during the harsh winter of 1777-1778.
- The coin honors the Oneida tribe’s alliance and critical support for the American cause in the Revolutionary War.
The latest Sacagawea $1 coin now highlights Polly Cooper, a member of the Oneida tribe who supported George Washington’s forces.
The Oneida tribe, from upstate New York, aided the Continental Army throughout the Revolutionary War.
In the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge, Cooper brought relief supplies where resources were desperately needed.
She stayed to cook and showed soldiers how to prepare white corn, further helping the troops endure harsh conditions.
Officials stated that the coin will showcase the essential role and early alliance formed by the Oneida tribe.
“I am proud to see the [U.S. Mint] honoring the remarkable patriot Polly Cooper of the Oneida Indian nation with this year’s Native American $1 Coin,” New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik said in a statement.
“As a born and raised Upstate New Yorker, it is especially meaningful to see our shared history celebrated in this way.”
The Oneida nation broke from their native confederacy to support American colonists, participating in major battles like Saratoga.
Members of the Oneida tribe have served with American forces in significant conflicts since the Revolutionary War.
The new coin’s design shows Cooper presenting a basket of corn to Washington, symbolizing the tribe’s crucial support.
Sacagawea, the guide for the Lewis and Clark expeditions, remains on the reverse side.
The Oneida Indian Nation helped develop the coin’s design.
“Polly Cooper symbolizes courage that is not just found on the battlefield but in compassion and willingness to help others, which is just a part of Oneida culture and hospitality,” said Ray Halbritter, representative of the Oneida Indian Nation.
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