United States Mint Refunds Customers for Inauthentic Indian Pouches

In 2004, the United States Mint was offering customers a coin set which included a proof Lewis and Clark Bicentennial silver dollar and a small pouch which was sold as authentically produced by an American Indian tribe. As it turns out, according to a United States Mint press release, some of the pouches were made by a tribe not recognized by Ohio state or federal authorities as being official: the Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band of Ohio. Because of this fact, the pouches made by the Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band of Ohio are not authentic American Indian products. Those who purchased this coins set can check the certificate of authenticity that came with the set to see which tribe made the pouch received.

The press statement says this news comes after The Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) reported to the United States Mint that the Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band of Ohio does not have the legal right to produce or sell any of their goods as "authentic Indian products" under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, which prohibits the marketing of items misrepresented as "authentic" products made by American Indian tribal members or tribes.

These sets, sold between September 7, 2004 and December 31, 2004, included certificates of authenticity that were hand signed by the person who crafted the pouch sent along with the set; these certificates of authenticity also declare the tribe and location of the craftsman. The United States mint explains in the press release states that when the agency commissioned artists to assemble the pouches in question, the agency collaborated with the Circle of Tribal Advisors (COTA) to recruit American Indian tribe members interested in the project. At the time, the Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band of Ohio was a COTA member in good standing, but the tribe dropped its membership from COTA in late 2005; COTA is said to have "adjourned" the following year.