The coin was created to save production costs and replace the Susan B. Anthony coin. A dollar bill costs about 6 cents to make, compared to 12 cents for the coin. But the coin lasts about 15 years compared to two for the bill.
"People are just squirrelling them away," said Paul Gilkes, senior staff writer at Coin World magazine.
Neal Stubbs, 58, of Southwest Philadelphia, is saving the 20 or so coins he's gotten from the bank and in stores.
Mike Johnson, 30, hasn't seen one yet. But he said he'd save them like his brother, who is keeping about six dollar coins.
"They're rare," Johnson said. "They might be worth something when my kids get older."
Studies done for the U.S. Mint show that the average American is keeping six dollar coins, said U.S. Mint spokesman Michael White.
Mint officials are thrilled with the popularity of the coin, pointing to record-breaking production figures. They said that by the end of the summer, the Mint will have shipped one billion coins to the Federal Reserve, more than all the Susan B. Anthony coins produced in 21 years.
But Mint officials acknowledge that the Sacagawea coin will fail unless folks start using it.
Some experts are reserving judgment on the coin's success or failure.
"It's too early to tell whether as a circulating coin, it's viable or not," said Richard Gittis, managing partner of Philly Stamp & Coin Inc. in Center City. "In order to get acceptance, it takes one to two years. I'm not pessimistic yet."
The U.S. Mint is spending $40 million on an ad campaign to spread the word about the coin. Helped by promotions from Wal-Mart and Cheerios, Mint officials quickly increased production plans after the February release.
