The Texas Longhorn
Overview
The 2000 Texas Silver Dollar – The Texas Longhorn was the inaugural issue in the Texas Silver Dollar Collection, by The Texas Mint & Mercantile, marking the beginning of the annual program celebrating Texas heritage through modern private-mint silver rounds. Struck in .999 fine silver, the Texas Longhorn design established the western and ranching themes that would define the broader Texas Dollar series. The design establishes the program’s defining visual format, combining a Texas Longhorn motif with the outline of the State of Texas on the obverse and a symbolic Texas star and wreath composition on the reverse. A small heart motif appears at the bottom of the reverse and represents an intentional recurring design element incorporated into every Texas Dollar issue. This issue represents the first documented production year of the Texas Mint’s primary numismatic program.
Story of The Texas Longhorn
“The 2000 Texas Silver Dollar, the design shown is detailed with symbols of our Texas heritage, the shape of the State, the Texas Longhorn (heads), and the exquisite Lone Star (tails) surrounded by stars and branches of mesquite. The Texas longhorn first came to Texas in the 1600’s with the Spanish Conquistadors. After the Civil War, the longhorn herds were plentiful and the market for meat was in the Northeast. The great cattle drives began & the Texas longhorn became a legend.” – Rick Pinner
Details
| Year | 2000 |
|---|---|
| Type | Round |
| Set/Collection | Texas Silver Dollar Collection |
| Mint Mark | None |
| Manufacturer / Mint | Texas Mint and Mercantile (Whitney, TX) |
| Issuer | Texas Mint and Mercantile (Whitney, TX) |
| Designer / Sculptor / Engraver | Rick Pinner |
| Obverse Image |  |
| Design: Obverse | A frontal longhorn skull is centered within the outline of the State of Texas, with the horns extending laterally across the state silhouette. The skull is rendered in naturalistic detail, with defined horn curvature, nasal cavity, and bone structure. Surrounding the central motif is a circular ring of evenly spaced five-pointed stars positioned near the rim. The date “2000” appears centered at the bottom beneath the state outline. |
| Reverse Image |  |
| Design: Reverse | A large five-pointed star is centered within a wreath composed of stylized branches forming a complete circular border. The inscription “TEXAS ONE DOLLAR” appears along the outer rim, following the curvature of the coin. At the bottom, the inscription “ONE OUNCE” is divided by a small heart motif positioned at the lowest point of the design. The heart is integrated into the lettering as a distinct design element. |
| Edge Type | Reeded |
| Edge Inscription | None |
| Metal | Silver |
| Fineness | .999 |
| Weight (grams) | 31.1 |
| Weight (troy oz) | 1 |
| Diameter (mm) | 39.1 |
| Thickness (mm) | 3.06 |
| Notes | This issue establishes the core reverse design used throughout the Texas Dollar / Texas Silver Dollar program. The heart motif at the bottom of the reverse is an intentional design element incorporated into each annual issue of the series. |