The Susan B. Anthony dollar is a United States dollar coin minted from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1999 . Designed by Frank Gasparro, it features a right-facing portrait of Susan B. Anthony, a leader in the women’s suffrage movement, on the obverse (front). This was the first time a non-mythical woman appeared on a U.S. circulating coin. Thirteen stars surround Anthony’s portrait, with the word “Liberty” above, the date of issue below, and “In God We Trust” to the right.
On the reverse (back), the coin displays an American eagle landing on the moon, based on the Apollo 11 mission insignia, a design also found on the Eisenhower dollar. [The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts notes] that the coin has a distinctive eleven-sided polygonal edge. It’s made of a copper-nickel clad composition (8.33% nickel, balance copper), giving it a silver color.
The coin is 26.5 mm (1.04 inches) in diameter and weighs 8.1 grams (0.260 troy ounces). The edge is reeded. While the coins were initially intended to be a popular replacement for the dollar bill, they were often confused with quarters due to their similar size and color, leading to limited circulation and public acceptance.
