Aptly known as the ‘’golden dollar” due to its shiny patina, the Sacagawea dollar holds a special place in U.S. history and is a popular coin for collectors. As our 2010 Sacagawea dollar errors list will reveal, errors in this series can be worth a premium but only if you know what to look for.

Not only is Sacagawea among the few women to be featured on a U.S coin; she also played an iconic role in making the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804 to 1806 a historic success. In addition, the U.S. Mint produced only 71 billion Sacagawea dollars, a far lower production, making the coin a true rarity.

From the first time the coin was minted in 2000 to 2008, it featured the same consistent obverse and reverse design. Starting from 2009 onward the Sacagawea dollar has featured the familiar obverse design with a different reverse design each year commemorating the Native American culture and history.

Despite its historical significance, the Sacagawea dollar is only worth its face value. If you are looking to collect more valuable golden dollars, errors are the way to go. In our 2010 Sacagawea dollar error list, you will discover high-value golden dollars that are worth adding to your collection.

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1. 2010-D MS62 Sacagawea Dollar Doubled Die Error

A common error you might come across when collecting 2010 Sacagawea dollars is the doubled die error. This error occurs when the die strikes the planchet at different angles multiple times, resulting in doubling or overlapping on the devices and/or inscriptions.

The value of a doubled die error largely depends on the intensity of doubling. The more intense or visible the doubling, the more valuable the error tends to be. Of course, other factors such as the coin’s condition also play a role in determining its value, with uncirculated coins being more valuable.

In 2013, Heritage Auctions sold a 2010-D Sacagawea dollar graded MS62 with a doubled die error for an impressive $730, making this an excellent error to add to your collection.

 

2. 2010-D MS65 Sacagawea Dollar Position B Error

2010-D MS65 Sacagawea Dollar Position B Error

Another error you might come across in the 2010 Sacagawea dollar series is the position B edge lettering error. Coins with this error have the edge lettering turned upside down in relation to the profile image on the obverse.

On the other hand, a position A coin has the lettering facing and reading upright when the portrait on the obverse is facing up. This minting error can occur due to technical or human mistakes, resulting in a coin with peculiar edge lettering.

Due to their rarity, position B Sacagawea dollars can be worth a premium. For example, a 2010-D Sacagawea dollar graded MS65 with a position B edge lettering error was auctioned for a whopping $1,100 at a 2020 Great Collections sale.

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3. 2010-P MS62 Sacagawea Dollar Coin Lamination Error

There are various types of lamination errors but all result from the presence of impurities in the alloy used to make the planchet. The presence of impurities can weaken the alloy resulting in anything from cracking, chipping, peeling and in some extreme cases, splitting.

The value of a lamination error largely depends on the type of error at hand—the more dramatic the error the more valuable it will tend to be.

In this case, Heritage Auctions sold a 2010-P Sacagawea dollar graded MS62 with a peeling lamination error. This coin, with peeling on the obverse and reverse was auctioned for an impressive $1050.

 

4. 2010-P MS60 Sacagawea Dollar Die Chip

2010-P MS60 Sacagawea Dollar Die Chip

A common error appearing in the 2010 Sacagawea dollar series is the die chip. This relatively small error occurs as small chips and dings on the coin’s surface, either on the obverse or reverse.

A die chip error occurs when a small piece of the die breaks off from the surface and the hole left behind is gradually filled with metal pieces. As the die continues to strike the planchet, the metal-filled hole will eventually leave an impression of itself on the coin’s surface, resulting in a die chip error.

Larger die chip errors are more eye-catching and will generally be worth more than smaller, less visible ones.

In 2022, a collector on eBay paid $880 for a 2010-P Sacagawea golden dollar graded MS60 with a die chip error on the obverse. This would definitely be a nice addition to your collection and the best part is that it is a relatively easy error to collect.

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5. 2010-D MS63 Sacagawea Dollar With Die Crack Error

Another relatively easy error to collect in the 2010 Sacagawea dollar series is the die crack. As the name suggests, this error occurs when the die develops a crack on its surface which is gradually filled with metal.

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Eventually, as the die continues to strike the planchet, the metal-filled crack will leave its impression on the planchet. A die crack error appears as a vertical or lateral crack on the obverse or reverse—larger die cracks will generally be more valuable than smaller ones.

In 2019, Heritage Auctions sold a 2010-D Sacagawea golden dollar coin graded MS63 with a die crack error for an impressive $555.

 

6. 2010-D MS64 American Sacagawea Error Coin Missing “In God We Trust”

A peculiar error you might come across when collecting 2010 Sacagawea coins is one in which the inscriptions “In God We Trust” are missing on the obverse.

This error can happen when the die used to punch inscriptions is problematic or wasn’t activated at all during the minting process.

Be careful though and check that the inscriptions haven’t been manually scrapped off and presented as a minting error. If in doubt, have a professional grading company assess your coin to authenticate the missing letters error.

In 2015, the Great Collection auctioned a rare 2010-D Sacagawea error coin graded MS64 with the inscription “In God We Trust’’ missing on the obverse for $650.

 

7. 2010-D MS65 Sacagawea Dollar Die Cap Error

A die cap is one of the most interesting errors you will come across when collecting Sacagawea dollars. This error occurs when a planchet gets stuck on the die’s surface and continues to strike other planchets.

As the stuck coin continues to strike, metal accumulates around the die, causing the planchet to acquire the shape of a bottle cap. The final coin features a raised rim compared to an ordinary coin that would have a flat, smooth, and symmetrical rim.

So, how much would a die cap error be worth? Well, owing to its dramatic appearance, a die cap error can be worth a premium, especially in an uncirculated condition.

In 2021, Heritage Auctions sold a 2010-D Sacagawea dollar graded MS65 with a die cap error for an impressive $1,200.

 

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8. 2010-P MS65 Sacagawea Dollar Off Center Strike Obverse

As the name suggests, an off-center strike error is one in which the design on the obverse or reverse is struck away from the center and more toward the planchet’s edge.

An off-center strike error can occur if the planchet is incorrectly positioned or due to a general misalignment between the die and planchet. This error often results in some of the design elements missing because of being struck toward the edge instead of the center.

The value of an off-center strike depends on the percentage of ‘’offness’’ in the strike. For example, a golden dollar with a 400% off center strike would generally be more valuable than one with a 15% off-center strike.

In 2018, a collector on eBay paid a handsome $1090 for a 2010-P Sacagawea dollar graded MS65 with a 35% obverse off-center strike, making this one of the best Sacagawea golden dollar coins to add to your collection.

 

9. 2010-P MS64 Sacagawea Dollar Rotated Die Error

Another interesting error that comes up in the 2010 Sacagawea dollar series is the rotated die error. As the name suggests, this error occurs when the obverse and reverse dies are misaligned or one of the dies is rotated from its normal position.

Due to the misalignment, the obverse design may be inverted relative to the reverse die. Alternatively, the design may be rotated at an angle relative to the design on the reverse or vice versa.

A rotated die error can be worth good money, depending on the coin’s condition. Take for example this 2010-P Sacagawea coin with a grade MS64 and a rotated die error, which the Great Collections auctioned for an eye-watering $1,028 at a 2017 sale.

 

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10. 2010-D MS60 Sacagawea Dollar Strike Through Grease Error Reverse

Last but not least on our 2010 Sacagawea dollar errors list is the strike-through grease error.

This is one in which a layer of grease appears on the planchet’s surface so when the die strikes, the design elements are not fully transferred onto the planchet.

The presence of grease on the planchet results in a weak strike, making for a peculiar-looking golden dollar coin.

In 2015, an eBay collector paid $435, the highest amount so far paid for a 2010-D Sacagawea dollar graded MS60 with a reverse grease struck through error.

 

Summary

Sacagawea golden dollars hold immense historical and sentimental value and can be extremely rewarding to collect, especially if you focus on collecting errors. As our 2010 Sacagawea dollar errors list reveals, Sacagawea errors can be very valuable, especially in uncirculated conditions. If you’ve had any doubts about collecting this coin, put your fears away, jump on the bandwagon, and start collecting this hidden gem. Happy collecting! 

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