Q. Why is the U.S. Mint producing a new Golden Dollar coin? A. Demand has increased for a dollar coin for certain transactions, particularly vending, and the government's supply of Susan B. Anthony (SBA) dollars is nearly exhausted. Therefore, the $1 Coin Act of 1997 authorized the new Golden Dollar, which replaces the current SBA dollar coin.
Q. How is the new coin different from the SBA Dollar? A. The new Golden Dollar coin, as required by law, is golden in color, the same diameter (26.5 mm) as the SBA, has a smooth edge (in contrast to the reeded edge of the SBA coin) and has a wider border than existing U.S. circulating coinage.
Q. What is the Golden Dollar made of? A. The coin's physical makeup is a three-layer composite construction--pure copper sandwiched between and metallurgically bonded to outer layers of manganese brass. This alloy is a golden-colored material composed of 77% copper, 12% zinc, 7% manganese and 4% nickel. Including the copper core, the Golden Dollar's overall composition is: 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese and 2% nickel.
Q. What is the design of the coin? A. The Golden Dollar's front, or obverse, is that of Sacagawea, the young Shoshone interpreter who from 1804 to 1806 assisted the Lewis and Clark expedition from the Northern Great Plains to the Pacific Ocean and back. Sacagawea contributed to the success of the expedition through her navigational, diplomatic and translating skills. The back, or reverse, design has a soaring American bald eagle, our nation's symbol. It is encircled by 17 stars--one for each state in the union at the time of the 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition.
Q. Why does the color of the new dollar change over time? A. The different hues of the Golden Dollars are the result of the manganese brass contained in the outer layer of the coins. Like any brass, its color will eventually become darker, giving the coin an antique finish. The high concentration of manganese in the alloy compound contributes to the darker color of the coin. The zinc and nickel in the alloy, however, inhibit this process somewhat, ensuring the new coin will not darken as much as pennies do.

The content for Q & A was adapted from "How Long Can the Expansion Continue?" by William Poole, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and appeared in the October 1999 issue of The Regional Economist, a St. Louis Fed publication.