Susan B. Anthony dollar

Lore & Background

The Susan B. Anthony dollar was created after the larger Eisenhower dollar proved unpopular. The Mint began preparation for a reduced-diameter dollar coin in 1976, and Treasury officials anticipated positive reception. The original design for the smaller dollar coin depicted an allegorical representation of Liberty on the obverse, but organizations and individuals in Congress called for the coin to depict a real woman. Social reformer Susan B. Anthony was selected as the design subject. The reverse retained the Apollo 11 eagle design from the Eisenhower dollar. Both sides of the coin, as well as the rejected Liberty design, were created by Frank Gasparro, the Chief Engraver of the United States Mint.

Reader's Guide

The Susan B. Anthony dollar was poorly received by the public, in part because of confusion caused by its similarity in size and metallic composition to the quarter. One and a half billion coins were struck in anticipation of demand, but most reposed in Treasury and bank vaults. Despite this, the coin eventually began seeing use in vending machines and mass transit systems, depleting the surplus by the late 1990s. In 1997, Congress authorized a new gold-colored dollar coin depicting Sacagawea, but as a stopgap measure, the Anthony dollar was struck again in 1999 after an eighteen-year hiatus. The series was retired the following year. Special proof coins were struck for collectors, and some minting variations are valuable, but most circulation strikes remain available in uncirculated grades with minimal premium over face value.

Did You Know?

• The Susan B. Anthony dollar was minted from 1979 to 1981, then again in 1999.
• Both the obverse and reverse designs were created by Frank Gasparro, Chief Engraver of the United States Mint.
• The coin was poorly received partly due to its similarity in size and metallic composition to the quarter.