Indian Head Coins

I used to collect coins when I was younger.  It's still fun to go to a coin show now and then to see some coins you never get to see.  I was looking at a $10 gold coin a while ago and got to wondering how many Native American US coins there are.  It turns out there are quite a few. I think they are some of the most attractive designs on any US coins.  It's not a coincidence that they were designed in the early part of the 20th century during the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods, when a lot of utilitarian items were designed more attractively. 

I collected up pictures of all the Indian coins and posted them in an article Native American Coins of the US.  The stories behind some of these coins are pretty interesting.  The Buffalo nickel came through the efforts of President Teddy Roosevelt, who was an outdoorsman and had traveled in the west.  He thought the previous nickels were too plain, and had an engraver study portraits of Indian chiefs to come up with a realistic face on the obverse side.  Other coins like the Indian head penny and the $10 gold Eagle pictured here actually portray Lady Liberty wearing an Indian headdress.

 Anyway, take a look, there are some pretty neat-looking coins in the collection.  Also, I looked up Canadian coins online and I didn't see one that had an Indian design. I think one had a Haida totem pole, but thats it. I wonder why that is.  Tied closer to the crown until just a few decades ago I think. Interesting.