Maria Tallchief will appear on the 2023 Native American $1 coin

The United States Mint has revealed the reverse design of the 2023 Native American $1 coin. The piece honors America’s first prima ballerina, Maria Tallchief. A member of the Osage Nation, Tallchief broke barriers as a Native American ballerina and spoke out against harmful misconceptions and stereotype about Native Americans.

The motif, created by Artistic Infusion Program Designer Ben Sowards, features Tallchief posed en pointe in the center. The four dancers behind her are meant to represent other prominent Native American ballerinas Marjorie Tallchief, Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, and Moscelyne Larkin, and also symbolize those who follow Tallchief’s path today. These women were collectively known as the “Five Moons”, and their legacy continues to influence ballet. A moon motif appears behind the ballerinas as a nod to this moniker, and the inscriptions below the scene reads MARIA TALLCHIEF and AMERICAN INDIANS IN BALLET. The obverse of the $1 coin will continue to feature Glenna Goodacre’s depiction of Sacagawea and her son, Jean Baptiste.

The NUMISMATIST January 2023 News & Notes, page 2