Gold Sac In Milwaukee

United States Mint to Publicly Display Never-Before-Seen Gold "Space Coins" In Milwaukee

Real 22-Karat Gold Versions of Sacagawea Golden Dollars Flew Aboard Historic Space Shuttle Mission

The United States Mint will display for the first time 12 gold proof Sacagawea Golden Dollars that flew aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1999. The 12 gold versions of the circulating Golden Dollars will be unveiled at the American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money® in Milwaukee, the largest coin show in the nation. Until now, the gold "space coins" have been stored at Fort Knox. They never have been seen in public, and similar gold coins were never sold, making them extremely rare. Although the coins' value has not been established, they are very unique as historic artifacts.

The 22-karat gold coins were minted to promote the use, and create public awareness, of the Sacagawea Golden Dollars that went into general circulation in 2000. The circulating Golden Dollar has a metal content of manganese brass. Like the circulating coin, the 12 gold proof Golden Dollars feature an image of Sacagawea, the Shoshone Indian woman who assisted Lewis and Clark on their 8,000-mile expedition. These 12 gold coins commemorated the first shuttle flight to be commanded by a woman, USAF Col. (ret.) Eileen Collins.

The 22-karat gold versions of the Sacagawea Golden Dollar are made of .9167 fine gold and are slightly larger than the circulating coin.

What: Ceremony to unveil for the first time in public the 22-karat gold proof Sacagawea Golden Dollars that flew aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1999. News media are welcome.

Who: United States Mint Director Ed Moy, a Wisconsin native and University of Wisconsin graduate, will make remarks and sign commemorative cards.

When: Friday, August 10, 2007, at 11:30 a.m.
United States Mint, Booth #1201

Where: Midwest Airlines Convention Center
400 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203

Sacagawea Circulating Golden Dollar Coin