History of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar
The United States Mint introduced the Susan B. Anthony dollar in 1979. The Mint had high hopes that this new smaller dollar coin would circulate well in the U.S. The Treasury Department hoped that the introduction of this dollar coin would effectively eliminate the $1 bill and save millions of dollars per year in manufacturing costs.
The Susan B. Anthony dollar honors a pioneer in the women’s rights movement. On October 10, 1978, legislation provided for the issuance of the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin. Chief Engraver of the United States Mint, Frank Gasparro, designed both the obverse and the reverse. His initials are located on the obverse near the lower right side of the portrait. This coin marks the first time that a portrait of a real woman (as opposed to an allegorical figure of Lady Liberty) appeared on a United States circulating coin.
However, people easily confused the new dollar coin with a quarter and therefore it was rejected by the public. Demand dropped and production ceased in 1981. Due to a request from the United States Postal Service, the mint produced another run of these dollar coins in 1999. In the following year, the mint introduced the new “Golden Dollar” with Sacajawea on the obverse.1
Market Analysis
Most coin collectors do not collect Susan B. Anthony Dollars, but they are starting to gain in popularity. Since the mint only produced the coin for four years, you can easily complete a collection with a little help from your favorite coin dealer.
Given the relatively low price and value of these coins, there is also a ready market for them when it comes time to sell your coins. If you are selling your Susan B. Anthony dollar coins, you can get the most money for them if you sort them and organize them so a coin dealer can quickly see what you have. However, because of the low demand for these coins, they have not appreciated.
Key Dates, Rarities, and Varieties
The following Susan B. Anthony dollars, in any condition, are worth considerably more than common SBA dollars. You can recognize these coins using The Guide to SBA Dollar Key Dates, Rarities, and Varieties.
- 1979-P Wide Rim Variety
- 1979-S Proof Type 2 (clear “S” mintmark)
- 1981-S Proof Type 2 (flat “S” mintmark)
Condition or Grade
If your SBA coin is worn and looks similar to the one illustrated below, it is considered a circulated coin. If the coin is extremely worn, it will be worth no greater than its face value.
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If your SBA coin looks similar to the one illustrated below and has no evidence of wear due to being in circulation, it is considered an uncirculated coin. Remember, an uncirculated coin can still have some nicks and scrapes on it due to its handling during the production process. However, these should be minimal and not due to the coin being used in circulation.
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Mint Marks
The Mint produced Susan B. Anthony dollars at three different mints: Philadelphia (P), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S). As illustrated in the photo below, the mint mark is located on the obverse of the coin, in the lower left-hand area, just above the shoulder of Susan B. Anthony.
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Susan B. Anthony Dollars Average Prices and Values
The buy price is what you can expect to pay to a coin dealer when you purchase the coin. Sell value is what you can expect to receive from a coin dealer if you sell the coin. The values listed here are approximate retail prices and wholesale values. The actual offer you receive from an individual coin dealer will vary depending on the actual grade of the coin and some other factors that determine its worth. Since most collectors also collect the proof version of these coins, which is the finest quality of coin produced by the United States Mint,2 these values and prices are included, as well.
| Date & Mint | Circ. Buy | Circ. Sell | Unc. Buy | Unc. Sell |
| 1979-P | $2.00 | $1.05 | $3.00 | $2.20 |
| 1979-P Wide Rim | $10.00 | $6.00 | $30.00 | $22.00 |
| 1979-D | $2.00 | $1.05 | $2.50 | $2.00 |
| 1979-S | $2.00 | $1.10 | $2.50 | $2.00 |
| 1979-S Type 1 Proof | – | – | $8.00 | $6.30 |
| 1979-S Type 2 Proof * | – | – | $69.00 | $52.00 |
| 1980-P | $2.00 | $1.10 | $2.50 | $2.00 |
| 1980-D | $2.00 | $1.10 | $2.50 | $1.90 |
| 1980-S | $2.00 | $1.10 | $2.50 | $1.90 |
| 1980-S Proof | – | – | $5.00 | $3.00 |
| 1981-P | $2.00 | $1.10 | $4.50 | $3.50 |
| 1981-D | $2.00 | $1.10 | $4.90 | $3.70 |
| 1981-S | $2.00 | $1.10 | $5.20 | $3.70 |
| 1981-S Type 1 Proof | – | – | $7.00 | $5.00 |
| 1981-S Type 2 Proof * | – | – | $200.00 | $175.00 |
| 1999-P | $2.00 | $1.10 | $3.00 | $1.50 |
| 1999-D | $2.00 | $1.10 | $3.00 | $1.50 |
| 1999-P Proof | – | – | $20.00 | $16.50 |
| Complete Date-Mint Set Total Coins: 11 | $20.00 | $15.00 | $60.00 | $45.00 |
| Complete Date-Mint Set With Proof and Varieties Total Coins: 18 | – | – | $350.00 | $300.00 |
| Complete Date Set Total Coins: 4 | $8.00 | $4.00 | $15.00 | $10.00 |
F.V. = Face Value
“-” (dash) = Not Applicable or not enough data exists to calculate an average price
* = See the section above “Key Dates, Rarities and Varieties” for more information on these coins.
