"Somebody at the mint, perhaps tired of stubbing their toes on bags of Sac dollars in the vaults, had a brain storm and commencing on April 15, 2002 the U.S. began sending some $500 million of the unwanted dollar coins to Ecuador for use as circulating currency. And, wow, did they circulate! So much so that in less than a year they became the most popular currency item in the country."
I wonder how many replacement coins we have sent since and what years?

I also thought this was funny....

"Many uninformed Ecuadorians believe the central device on the obverse is that of an Ecuadorian woman from the mountains. They know nothing of Sacagawea or the exaggerated role the politically correct U.S. Mint spin doctors gave to her being part of the Lewis & Clark expedition."
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3...xist_check.html

lol

how did the mint exaggerate her role? I admit I have never read what the mint said about her, I have read a pretty good biography regarding her complete with journal entries from lewis and clark that mention her...

In a tropical place like Ecuador I would prefer to use a coin over a fecal bacteria buck too.

It wouldn't surprise me since the woman is a) fictional and b ) closer in physical resemblance to those Ecuadorians than what they would expect on an American coin

?? She was not fictional

Yeah, Randy L'Teton is a Native American hottay. She is real.

L'Teton was a model for the coin, certainly doesnt mean who she is representing wasnt real...the woman is mentioned in the journals of several party members. Not sure why one would doubt she was real...

http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/sacagawea.htm

Another case of media types overlooking the facts.

well...link me to the 'facts'....because right now its not just the 'media types' but every encyclopedia, every study I have ever read regarding her (usually reliable) most sources of information seems to think she existed. Not to mention lewis and clark and others on that expedition who wrote about her.

Wikipedia says she's real.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacagawea

Things are striking me as funny today.....

"Because of the popularity of the Sacagawea dollar, the term "Sacagawea" has become slang for money in general, especially in the midwestern U.S."

Give me all your Sacagawea!!

She may have been real enough but I believe part of her role in the expedition has been a little over dramatized. I can't help but wonder how a 17 year old kid who had never been anywhere could actually be referred to as a "guide"? And I do believe, being that particular period in time, women played very specific roles other than the role of translator as so many claim? Don't get me wrong as I really like the Sacagawea dollar and do collect them but it seems that "hype" and "history" have gotten distorted in the past few years? One thing is for certain, at least to me, the Sackie is much more attractive than the current Presidential series now being offered. They are nothing more than the Mints Presidential medallion hand me downs!

certainly her role in history is a bit debated and a certain mythos has arisen around her but I dont see the hype...on the whole she was the native wife of a french trapper...already pregnant when her husband offered his services as he spoke native tongue and she was valuable as an interpreter as well. I see no reason to doubt this woman existed.

I have a couple of really worn Sacs - I guess now I know they must've been to Ecuador, because they sure didn't get that worn circulatin' in the USA! We're talking F-VF here. Will post a pic when I get a chance.

Was tired late last night - actually meant to write that she wsn't the real Sacagawea
I already knew she was an actor - and a hottie too

I read something the other day that said wikipedia probably isn't real either.. j/k

A Sacky in F, I would like to see. Please post a pic.

I wonder how many SACs and SBAs were sent to South America as part of the US Foreign Aid payments. I've been told that they're quite popular in parts of Mexico and Costa Rica also.