A gold-colored Sacagawea dollar dated 2000 may be worth examining before you spend it. One scarce variety has raised lines crossing the eagle’s body, creating what collectors call the Wounded Eagle or Speared Eagle dollar.
What should you look for?
First, examine the front of the coin. It must have:
- The date 2000
- A small P mintmark
- Sacagawea carrying her infant son, Jean Baptiste
Next, turn the coin over and inspect the eagle’s chest and belly. A genuine Wounded Eagle variety displays two raised diagonal lines crossing the eagle’s body.
These lines were created by damage to the coin’s striking die. Because the defect was recessed into the die, it produced raised metal on every coin struck from it.
That distinction is important:
- A genuine die-gouge line rises above the surrounding surface.
- An ordinary scratch cuts down into the coin.
- Damage from tools, machinery or circulation does not create the collectible variety.
PCGS catalogs this variety as FS-901 and describes the identifying feature as a raised die flaw crossing the eagle’s belly. NGC uses the name “Speared Eagle” and identifies a pair of diagonal die gouges across the breast.
A little history
The Sacagawea dollar debuted in 2000 as a replacement for the unpopular Susan B. Anthony dollar. Glenna Goodacre designed the portrait of Sacagawea and her child, while Thomas D. Rogers Sr. created the original soaring-eagle reverse.
The coin contains no gold. Its distinctive color comes from manganese-brass outer layers bonded to a copper core.
The Philadelphia Mint produced more than 767 million Sacagawea dollars in 2000, but only a small number were struck from the damaged Wounded Eagle die. Most known examples are uncirculated, although circulated discoveries have been reported in dollar-coin rolls, transit-machine change, vending-machine returns and old coin accumulations.
How much is a Wounded Eagle dollar worth?
As of October 2026, a genuine circulated or lightly worn example may sell for approximately $75 to $200, depending on how clearly the raised lines remain visible and whether the coin has scratches, stains or other damage.
Certified Mint State examples generally bring more. Greysheet previously listed wholesale reference levels around $225 for MS64 and $380 for MS66. A PCGS-graded MS65 example sold for $360 in 2021, while the PCGS guide listed that particular grade at $500.
Exceptional grades can produce much higher results. PCGS records an MS68 example that sold for $7,200 in July 2023, but that auction record is not representative of an ordinary coin found in circulation.
Authentication, condition and grade determine the actual value. Online asking prices do not necessarily represent completed sales.
What should you do if you find one?
Do not clean, polish, rub or scrape the coin. Never use a tool to test whether the lines are raised; doing so can permanently damage the surface.
Hold the coin by its edge, photograph both sides and take a sharp close-up of the eagle’s chest. Place it in a non-PVC coin flip or protective capsule and have the FS-901 attribution verified before selling it.
Have you found a possible Wounded Eagle dollar—or do you have coins, currency or a broader collection? The Patriot Vault may be interested in buying your coin, currency or collection. Reply to this post and tell us what you have!
