2002 1 Oz Shawnee Tribe Tecumseh Round BU

The Sovereign Nation of the Shawnee Tribe (Oklahoma) is recognized by the United States under the Shawnee Tribe Status Act of 2000. It issued its first historical coin on 30th July of that same year. The coin features Chief Tecumseh with mintages of 50000 BU and 20000 Proofs. The coins are not legal tender even though they bear a denomination of one dollar. A value was put on the coins to make them more collectible and while certain media reports have described the coins as legal tender on Shawnee lands, they are not. The silver dollar is designed as a commemorative issue, honoring the Shawnees’ legal separation in 2000, from the Cherokee Nation after 135 years of union.

Obverse: The obverse features the right-facing image of Chief Tecumseh, one of the most well-known Shawnee Chiefs. The dates of his life "1768-1813" are inscribed to the lower right of the image. The outer circle bears the upper inscription of "CHIEF SHOOTING STAR TECUMSEH" while the lower denomination bears the denomination of "ONE DOLLAR".

Reverse: The central feature on the reverse is the coat of arms of the Shawnee Nation.  The coat of arms on the reverse contains 12 stars, representing the original 12 tribes of the Shawnee Indian Nation. The four tribes that survived were known to the white settlers as Mequachake, Chillicothe, Liskapoke, and the Piqua. The outer circle bears the upper inscription of "THE SOVEREIGN NATION OF THE SHAWNEE TRIBE" while the lower denomination bears the date of "2002".