In early 1999, 39 examples of the soon to be released 2000 Sacagawea Dollars were struck, but these coins weren't that ordinary; they were all struck at the West Point Mint in 22 karat gold as a prelude to the Mint's eventual offering of a real gold version of the "golden dollar" for collectors. On July 23rd, 1999, 12 of these coins were sent up into orbit with the space shuttle Columbia; these 12 still exist, but the other 27 were melted.
Yes. I knew this. But did you know that the US Mint did NOT have congressional approval to produce these coins using Gold? Approval to produce the Sacagawea Dollar, yes, but not the liberty to choose whatever metal composition they wanted. Which is why the others were melted. Oh yeah, those 12 are in Fort Knox. Read about it here = = > http://www.smalldollars.com/dollar/page20b.html
LOL. I think if you happen across one of these, the authorities will be more concerned with "How the heck did you get in here without being detected?" LOL
Partial list of what the Smithsonian has http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/group_detail.cfm?key=1253&gkey=50&page=1
These "coins" also have the prototype rev design that appears on the Cheerios dollars. Slightly questionable. The argument the Mint Director used was the clause in the law that allows the Director of the Mint to change the design of the gold bullion coin at any time. He was proposing using the Sac design (with a $5 denomination) for the 1/2 oz gold bullion and these "coins" were struck on 1/2 oz AGE planchets. Congress didn't buy it and said he was overstepping his authority. Technically though he was within his rights to do it.
