American Samoa
The islands of Samoa in the South Pacific. It depicts an ava bowl, a whisk, and a staff.
American Samoa is a group of islands scattered across the Samoan archipelago in the South Pacific. This place, too, is not a U.S. state but a U.S. territory with the status of a “territory (unincorporated territory).” It refers to islands that belong to the United States yet have not yet been incorporated as a state.
The reverse of the coin depicts an ava (ava) bowl, a whisk (a ceremonial fly-whisk), and a staff placed in the foreground, with a single palm tree standing by the shore. Beside them are the words in the Samoan language “Samoa Muamua Le Atua,” meaning “Samoa, God First.”
The ava bowl, the whisk, and the staff are objects that symbolize Samoa’s traditional ceremonies and its leaders. Used in gatherings where guests were welcomed and important decisions were shared, they well express the Samoan culture that treasures courtesy and community among people.
American Samoa became a U.S. territory in 1900. From this time on, these South Pacific islands formed their bond with the United States. For reference, unlike other U.S. territories, the residents here hold the somewhat special status of “U.S. nationals.”
Within the small coin, the objects of traditional ceremony and a palm tree come together, quietly conveying the warm culture of a South Pacific island. Looking closely at the coin, you come to meet the lives and traditions of the people behind an unfamiliar place name.