2001 Bessie Coleman "golden" dollar prototype - US Mint reverse, without "Peace", SILVER prooflike

In 1998 the Dollar Coin Design Advisory Committee (DCDAC) was convened with the purpose of deciding what woman to portray on a new US "Golden" $1 circulating coin. Committee members included Mint Director Philip Diehl and Delaware Congressman Michael Castle. This concept was designed and presented to the committee in person by Daniel Carr. At one point in the DCDAC deliberations, the Bessie Coleman proposal was in second place behind Sacagawea as the committee's choice. A photograph of this Bessie Coleman proposal was taken by an Associated Press (AP) photographer, and that picture was distributed to newspapers across the country (see below). Many newspapers that ran stories about the DCAC meeting also printed that photograph as the only visual record of the meeting.

The obverse shows Bessie Coleman, an early aviation pioneer. Renowned for her stunt flying, Bessie Coleman obtained her pilot's license before Amelia Earhart. At the time this coin was designed in 1998, nobody knew when the US Mint small "golden" dollars would first be issued. So the design was given a "2001" date. At the time this design was first presented in 1998, for the first time ever, a woman had just been assigned the duty of Space Shuttle Mission Commander. The early aviation of Bessie Coleman, combined with the modern space shuttle, show the progress in aviation contributed by women. The 13 stars above the horizon symbolize the future colonization of space. The large "D" represents a "Denver" mint mark. A small "DC" (designer's initials) are visible at the lower right.

The reverse design was one of seven US Mint finalists for the reverse of the Sacagawea dollar coin. It features an Eagle soaring across the sun with 50 rays (symbolizing the 50 US states). This reverse has a concave field. To avoid a loss of detail when polishing the die, the die was given only a light polish and it shows some polishing marks.

This design was sculpted in 3D by Daniel Carr, and the dies were made using a direct mechanical transfer from the 3D models.
To comply with US regulations, the reverse of the coin is marked "NON DOLLAR" rather than "ONE DOLLAR".

Size: 27mm.
Composition: .999 Pure Silver.
Weight: 15.6 grams, (1/2 Troy Ounce).
Edge: Smooth, Marked ".999 FINE SILVER".
Finish: Proof-Like (the reverse side die was lightly polished to avoid a loss of detail, and some die polishing marks are evident).
Final Mintage: 50.
Holder: Non-PVC 2x2 "flip".

More information about Daniel Carr's Dollar coin designs can be seen at: Mike Wallace's Small Dollars web page