Susan B. Anthony Dollar
(1979-1981)(1999)
Click for SBA Dollar Pricing Guide

Susan Brownell Anthony (1820-1906) a pioneer of women's rights. It was the first time a woman, other than a mythical figure, had appeared on a circulating United States coin.
The suffragist's portrait on the obverse was a new design; however, the reverse was the same design used on the Eisenhower Dollar the year before. Both the obverse and the reverse of the coin were designed by Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro. His initials FG appear below the portrait and the eagle.
The coin weighs 8.1 grams and has a diameter of 26.50 mm. These dollars cannot be called 'silver dollars' as they are composed of two outer layers of a copper-nickel alloy (75% copper, 25% nickel) bonded to an inner core of pure copper.
The Anthony dollar failed to gain widespread public acceptance and was discontinued in 1981. Coins dated 1981 were never released for circulation - they were available in Proof Sets and Uncirculated Sets only. A total of 868,511,516 Anthony Dollars were produced. The Susan B. Anthony Dollar was initially produced for three years 1979 to 1981. The Susan B. Anthony Dollar was again struck in 1999. This new striking was due to the demand for dollar coins by both the U.S. Postal Service, who use them in their vending machines, and by casinos, who use them for dollar slot machines.

Terms and Mint Marks

BU (Brilliant Uncirculated): A strictly uncirculated coin with attractive mint luster but noticeable detracting contact marks or minor blemishes.
PRF (Proof Edition): The term "Proof" refers to a method of manufacture which produces a superior quality coin. Proofs are struck on specially prepared planchets using highly polished dies. They are struck multiple times at low speed and are made expressly for collectors in Proof Sets. Modern Proof coins are easily identified by their mirror-like finish and frosted features.
T1/T2: The 1979 Type 1 Dollar has a "filled S" which was hard to read. The die was re-cut creating the Type 2 or "clear S." Similarly, in 1981, the die was re-cut creating a Type 1 (filled S) and a Type 2 (clear S).
Far Date/Near Date: The first Anthony Dollars produced in 1979 had a narrow rim on the obverse so the date was farther from the rim, hence the term Far Date. Late in the year, the obverse was modified to widen the rim. These modified Near Date dollars are more scarce than the Far Dates because the dies were changed to strike the 1980 dollars shortly after the rim modification. All subsequent issues have the wide rim.
The Anthony Dollars were stuck in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The mint mark, either P, D, or S, appears slightly above Anthony's right shoulder.

Facts and Figures:

COMMENTS: The Susan B. Anthony Dollar Act was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on October 10, 1978. Production began in Philadelphia on December 13, 1978, in Denver on January 9, 1979, and in San Francisco on February 2, 1979. The release date was July 2, 1979. The Anthony Dollar is the first circulating U.S. coin to feature a real woman. The "P" mint mark was used on a coin for only the second time in U.S. coinage history, the first time being on the War Nickels of 1942-1945. The 1999-P proof Anthony Dollar, along with the 1942-P 5¢, are the only two proof coins to bear a "P" mint mark. The Anthony Dollar also has the distinction of having the longest period of time between being struck. It was struck in 1981 and then not struck again until 1999, a lapse of 18 years. The previous record was 17 years with the Morgan Dollar which was struck in 1904 and then not again until 1921.
NOTE: The Peace Dollar was struck in 1935 and then again in 1964 (29 years). However, the 1964 pieces were never issued and supposedly all were destroyed.

Mintage Figures &
What Makes Up A Set of Susan B. Anthony Dollars

Below are the mintage figures for all Susan B. Anthony Dollars struck by the United States Mint. Also included in the list are the major varieties. What coins exactly make up a "complete" set is ALWAYS up to the individual collector. Some may collect one of every year and from every mint struck. Others will add major varieties, while some want every die variety known for the series no matter how minor. Some may simply collect just one of each year minted, yet others, such as myself, collect anything and everything related to the particular coin. The coins in the list below marked with an asterisk (*) are considered part of a conventional set of Susan B. Anthony Dollars.

THE PCGS SET REGISTRY

SUSAN B. ANTHONY DOLLAR VARIETIES

1979-P Wide and Narrow Rim: These varieties are sometimes refered to as "Far Date" and "Near Date". This is actually inaccurate as the date was not moved, but instead the border was widened. The Mint began striking the 1979-P SBA Dollars with the "narrow rim". Late in 1979 the border was widened to give the coin a more aesthetic appearance. The "narrow rim" variety is found on all 1979 dollars from all of the mints. The 1979 "wide rim" variety can only be found on the "P" mint issues. The "wide rim" variety was used for the remainder of the series. According to information provided by George E. Hunter, the Assistant Director of Technology for the U.S. Mint at the time, there were 643 "wide rim" dies used at the Philadelphia Mint in 1979. With an estimated 250,000 strikes per die, that would give a mintage of 160,750,000 1979-P "Wide Rim" Susan B. Anthony Dollars, or nearly 45% of all 1979-P Anthony Dollars minted.

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