New coins have to be approved by the Banking Committee of Congress. I serve on that committee. We were finally running out of the Susan B. Anthony dollars. We approved a new dollar and required that an image of a woman appear on that coin. Then the fight started.
Every state has outstanding women.
I nominated Sacajawea. A book written by Ken Thomasma, a Wyoming author, was used to promote and defend Sacajawea. Kids from Wyoming, particularly a Kelly, Wyoming class, taught by Ken's son, wrote e-mails, letters and made phone calls to sell the idea. I fought off amendments in appropriations by the chairman of the House Banking Committee. The Mint stayed in contact with my office as the exact design selection process went on.