How to Identify a Cheerio Dollar (+ What It's Worth)

Imagine opening up a box of your favorite breakfast cereal and finding a coin inside that would be worth thousands of dollars someday! Most people couldn't imagine that scenario, which is why when General Mills released 5,500 of the 2000 Sacagawea dollar coins in its Cheerios boxes, most consumers just spent them. That turned out to be a big mistake, though, because these coins are now selling for as much as $5,600 at auction! Curious? We spoke exclusively with a coin collector to learn how to identify a Cheerios dollar, plus how much this rare coin is worth and |its history. We also talk about why it's valuable, and so much more!

How to Tell If You Have a Cheerios Dollar

Coin collector Ryan Quinlan says that 2000-P Sacagawea "Cheerios" dollars have more defined details in the tail feathers. The feathers of the tail and upper wing also look and feel more raised. In comparison, a regular Sacagawea dollar coin has smoother feathers and less definition.

Section 1 of 7:

How to Identify a Sacagawea Cheerios Dollar

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Look for detailed, raised wing and tail feathers on the eagle. Quinlan says you can tell if you have a Cheerios dollar by the details in the eagle's tail feathers on the reverse side. They're a lot more defined than the normal version, he explains.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Ryan Quinlan
Coin Collector

Expert Interview} They're struck in higher relief, which means the feathers look and feel more raised. The individual feathers also have obvious lines inside, making them look more striated and realistic. You'll notice the same effect on the upper wing feathers, just above the tail.^{[2]
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- For comparison, a normal 2000-P Sacagawea dollar coin (not released in Cheerios boxes) has smooth, flat-looking feathers with no lines inside them.
- Did you know? A coin is "struck" when a die stamps a coin design into a small metal disk called a planchet. It's a critical step in the minting process!
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Ryan Quinlan is a coin collector with over 10 years of experience creating coin-collecting content. He has over 130K YouTube subscribers and 28 million views.

Section 2 of 7:

How much is a Cheerios dollar worth?

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Cheerios dollars are typically worth $2,200-$5,600, but some sell for more. This coin is rare, so when you find one, there's probably a coin collector out there willing to pay a lot of money for it! One of the best-known professional coin grading services, NGC, has recorded sales ranging from $2,200 to $5,635.^{[3]
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Research source} In one case, 3 Cheerio dollars sold together for $9,200.^{[4]
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Research source} A very special and unique Cheerio dollar struck twice—once with a Sacagawea $1 die, and once with a Lincoln $0.01 die—sold for $35,250!^{[5]
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- For comparison, the value of most normal Sacagawea dollar coins is their face value ($1).

Section 3 of 7:

How many Cheerios dollars were made?

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The U.S. government minted 5,500 dollar coins specifically for General Mills, the corporation that manufactures Cheerios cereal. If you bought a box of Cheerios in January 2000, there was a good chance you would find this coin!^{[6]
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Section 4 of 7:

2000-P Sacagawea Cheerios Dollar Appearance

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The front features the profile of Sacagawea, the brave Native American woman who led Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition to explore the western United States. Her neck is turned so she's looking out at the viewer. She's carrying her baby, Jean Baptiste, on her back. The word "LIBERTY" curves above Sacagawea's head, and "IN GOD WE TRUST" is visible to her right (your left). To her left (your right), you'll find the year the coin was issued (2000) and a tiny "P" under it indicating that the coin was struck in the Philadelphia mint.^{[7]
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The back features an eagle in flight, with noticeably raised striations in the tail feathers, confirms numismatics expert Max Hockley.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Max Hockley
Numismatics and Precious Metals Expert

Expert Interview} The eagle is surrounded by 17 stars to represent the 17 states in the U.S. during the time of Lewis and Clark's expedition (1804-1806). The words "E PLURIBUS UNUM" (Latin for "one of many") float in the background to the left of the bird. You'll also notice the words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" above the eagle and "ONE DOLLAR" below it.^{[9]
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Section 5 of 7:

History of the Cheerios Sacagawea Dollar

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In 1999, the U.S. government decided to commemorate the new millennium by minting a new version of the $1 coin. The coin's design featured Sacagawea—Lewis and Clark's legendary Native American guide—on the obverse (front) side. To encourage the public to use them, the government struck a batch of 5,500 coins for General Mills to release in Cheerios cereal boxes. That's why collectors dubbed the coin the "Cheerios dollar," says Quinlan.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Ryan Quinlan
Coin Collector

Expert Interview} In January 2000, every 2,000th box of Cheerios sold contained a 2000-P Sacagawea dollar coin (along with a Lincoln cent).^{[11]
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Section 6 of 7:

Why is the Cheerios dollar so valuable?

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It's valuable because it was struck on a different die than normal dollar coins. For 5 years after their release, the public thought that the dollar coins they found in their Cheerios boxes were the same as any other Sacagawea dollar coin. So they spent them without thinking of their future value. In 2005, however, a twist came! A coin collector discovered that the eagle on Cheerios dollars had more defined tail feathers than on normal, publicly circulated dollar coins. This meant that the Cheerios coins were minted on an enhanced die, making them unique among all other dollar coins in circulation, confirms Hockley.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Max Hockley
Numismatics and Precious Metals Expert

Expert Interview} The discovery caused the value of Cheerios dollars to skyrocket.^{[13]
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- Now, instead of being worth just $1, some Cheerios dollar coins are worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars!
- Did you know? Every box of Cheerios sold in January 2000 contained a Lincoln cent. This coin looks exactly the same as a regular penny, though, so it's not very valuable. In addition, every 4,400th Cheerios box contained the penny, a Sacagawea coin, and a certificate redeemable for $100 worth of the new dollar coins.

Section 7 of 7:

Where to Buy and Sell Cheerios Dollars

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Auction houses (like Heritage Auctions or Great Collections) The best places to buy or sell a rare coin like a Cheerio dollar are auction houses for coins or high-ticket collectibles. These places either help coin owners authenticate their coins before putting them up for bid, or they only accept coins that have been graded and authenticated by a professional grading service (like NGC or PCGS). Heritage Auctions, GreatCollections, and Stack's Bowers have all sold Cheerio dollars in the past, so it's a good idea to start there.
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Third-party auction websites (like eBay) eBay can be a good place to bid on (or auction off) rare coins like the Cheerio dollar. As a buyer, just remember to read the listings carefully. Avoid counterfeits by looking for certificates of authenticity from NGC, PCGS, or CAC. Examine the photos closely to see if the coin looks like a genuine Cheerio dollar. You should also only bid on listings from reputable sellers with high ratings and good customer reviews.