The U.S. Mint will feature Polly Cooper, an Oneida woman known for aiding George Washington’s Continental Army, on the reverse of the 2026 Sacagawea $1 coin, according to the Associated Press. The coin recognizes Cooper’s role in a 1778 relief expedition from Oneida territory to the army’s winter encampment at Valley Forge, where soldiers faced severe food shortages.
Cooper and a delegation of 47 Oneida warriors carried white corn to the encampment, according to the AP. Oneida Indian Nation representative Ray Halbritter said the design shows Cooper offering corn to Washington and was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Mint. The release is part of the Native American $1 Coin Program, established by Congress in 2007 to honor Native Americans and tribes for their contributions to U.S. history.
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