Native American Mint Silver Coins

Silver Bullion from the Native American Mint

There is no separating the culture of First Nation and indigenous tribes in North America from the history of the land. Long before Europeans began to arrive on, explore, and eventually colonize the continent, First Nation people had been living here and cultivating the land for thousands of years. While historic US currency from the United States Mint features designs reflective of the impact and role of indigenous tribes on the continent, such as the Buffalo Nickel (1913-1938). However, only the Native American Mint has a focus on advancing through beautiful art the culture and history of various indigenous tribes on silver bullion coinage.

The Native American Mint is based in California and strikes commemorative silver bullion for various tribes across both the United States and Canada. The popularity of these coins began with a 2015 issue that spurred a much broader coin program and has also featured several unique issues that standalone as something unique.

Native America the Beautiful

In a beautiful response to the America the Beautiful Series from the United States Mint, the Native American Mint introduced a new collection in 2022. Known as the Native America the Beautiful, the series travels across all 50 US States to feature unique designs honoring the indigenous tribes from each region in 1 oz proof and 1 oz colorized proof issues.

2015 Sioux Buffalo – A Unique Start

The 2015 Sioux Buffalo Silver Coin was the first-ever investment-grade silver bullion coin issued by the Native American Mint. The coin would set the basis of action for the Proof Native American Silver Dollar Series, a broad and far-reaching collection of silver coins that debuted later in the same year and continues onward. The 2015 1 oz Sioux Buffalo Silver Coin features the following design elements:

• Obverse: On this side of the coin, you’ll find the image of one of these magnificent beasts. The buffalo, also known as a bison, is North America’s largest land mammal and was critical to the survival of plains tribes such as the Sioux peoples. Nomadic animals by nature, tribes would follow the nomadic movements of the buffalo across the plains to keep themselves within reach of the valuable meat, furs, hides, and bones provided by the kill of a single buffalo.
• Reverse: This side of the coin features the front-facing portrait of a Sioux tribal chief in full, traditional headdress. In this particular design, the headdress and clothing of the Sioux chief are reflective of those items worn by members of the tribe and elders around the 1860s. Although the Sioux peoples are one of the most well-known tribes, with historical ranges stretching across the Northern Plains of the US and southern Canada, the Sioux Nation is not one of the nation’s largest by membership today.

As the first-ever silver bullion coin with investment-grade .999 pure silver content, the Native American Mint offered this coin in great volume. The coins originally shipped in individual plastic capsules, plastic tubes of 20 coins, or boxes of 500 coins.

Proof Native American Silver Dollar Series

Following the popular release of the 2015 Sioux Buffalo Coin, the Native American Mint embarked on an ambitious program to catalog the many indigenous tribes spread out across the United States and Canada. Each of the 50 states is scheduled for representation in this series with a common theme featuring the portrait of tribal members on the obverse side and a unique animal on the reverse representing a wildlife species critical to the survival and culture of the tribe featured on the obverse. Each tribe and animal were also associated with a state of issue.

The series has rolled along since 2015 with countless releases each year, and through 2018 there are a total of 21 designs available to those buying silver. Among the available designs dating back to the 2015 launch are the following coins:

• 2015 Navajo New Mexico Cougar
• 2015 Crow Montana Timber Wolf
• 2015 Blackfoot Idaho Porcupine
• 2015 Iroquois Pennsylvania Skunk
• 2016 Sioux South Dakota Buffalo
• 2016 Apache Arizona Rattlesnake
• 2016 Florida Seminole Alligator
• 2017 Indiana Miami Mink
• 2017 Hawaii Hawaiian Monk Seal
• 2018 Kansas Pawnee Pronghorn
• 2018 Rhode Island Wampanoag Shark
• 2018 Virginia Rappahannock Big-Eared Bat
• 2018 Iowa Fox Rabbit
• 2018 Connecticut Mohegan Whale
• 2019 Maine Passamaquoddy Moose
• 2019 California Kumeyaay Grizzly Bear
• 2019 Ohio Wyandot Northern Cardinal
• 2019 Alabama Chickasaw Coyote
• 2019 Minnesota Dakota Turtle
• 2020 Illinois Peoria Tiger Salamander
• 2020 Kentucky Shawnee Squirrel
• 2020 Maryland Susquehannock Albatross
• 2020 Massachusetts Mohican Wild Turkey
• 2020 Missouri Osage Mule
• 2020 North Dakota Chippewa Eagle
• 2020 North Carolina Tuscarora Opossum
• 2020 Nebraska Arapaho Catfish
• 2021 Tennessee Catawba Cave Salamander
• 2021 Oregon Creek Chinook Salmon
• 2021 Utah Paiute Rocky Mountain Elk
• 2021 Vermont Pennacook Northern Leopard Frog

Each of the coins in this brilliant series comes with a satin matte finish, with typical proof elements that include frosted design elements and mirrored backgrounds. The coins are shipped individually inside of protective plastic capsules.

Solar Eclipse Curved Coin

In 2017, the Native American Mint issued a beautiful colorized silver proof coin that depicted the iconic moment that would occur in August 2017 when a total solar eclipse occurred over the breadth of the United States. The coin had a curved surface on the colorized side with the brilliant, detailed vision of the moon passing in front of the sun. The solar flares of the sun were visible around the moon’s outline, enabling a unique look at the sun as result. These coins were issued inside of commemorative boxes with a Certificate of Authenticity and a limited mintage of only 5,000 coins.

Colorized Native American Mint Silver

In addition to its long-running Proof Silver Dollar Series, the Native American Mint also issues a wide range of collectible silver coins. In many cases, these coins have beautiful colorization added. Colorized silver coins have a thin layer of colorized lacquer applied to the reverse design element, in many cases, and can sometimes feature inset capsules within the design of the coin that have special materials included within. Examples of recent colorized Native American Mint Silver include:

• 2020 Boston Massacre: To mark the 250^th anniversary of the Boston Massacre, the Native American Mint issued a 2 oz proof silver coin with a colorized visual on the reverse showcasing the moment that tensions between patriots in Boston and redcoats from the Royal Army boiled over and the British opened fire on the unarmed mob. These shots were some of the first in what would become the American Revolution.
• 2020 Area 51 Silver Coin: This 1 oz proof silver coin has a brilliantly colorized reverse field with a common flying saucer design in the original silver and a bright beam of light originating from the belly of the craft. The eerie night sky boasts shades of black and purple as an alien figure walks into the design element near the “Restricted Area” sign. Most notably, the inset capsule in these coins includes dirt taken from around the perimeter of Area 51.

Uniqueness of Native American Mint Coins

The Native American Mint does not refer to its products as silver rounds, but rather refers to them as silver coins. Each of the coins in the Proof Native American Dollar Series, for example, has a face value of One Dollar assigned to it which is backed by the tribe represented in the coin’s design elements.

However, the Native American Mint does not have the authority to issue coins with legal tender status in the United States of America. Only the United States Mint has the power to strike and issue coins with legal tender status as US dollars (USD). Therefore, the value assigned to these coins is commemorative only and has no legal tender status.

The Native American Mint

The Native American Mint is a privately-owned enterprise in Torrance, California that specializes in the production of coins, medals, and gaming industry tokens. Many of its designs, especially those covered in this category page, honor Native American ancestry and culture with accurate depictions of tribal entities and groups.

Buying Native American Mint Silver from JM Bullion

If you have any interest in the silver for sale from the Native American Mint, please don’t hesitate to contact JM Bullion with questions about availability. You can call our customer service team at 800-276-6508, chat with us live online, or simply send us an email with your inquiries.