A First for Women!
Intended to honor a pioneer of women's rights, legislation dating back to 1978 ensured the creation of a Susan B. Anthony dollar coin. The placement of Anthony's likeness on a coin was the first time in U.S. history that a woman, other than a mythical goddess that is, appeared on a circulating coin. The reverse design of this coin is the same as the Eisenhower dollar, an eagle, which was actually an adaptation of the official Apollo II insignia.
The Coin
The coin began mintage in 1979 and ended shortly thereafter in 1981. Its size, one easily confused with a quarter, caused it to fail to gain public acceptance, But the U.S. Mint was not quite done with this history-making piece. In 1999, the year prior to the Sacagawea Golden Dollar, the United States Mint issued a "Secret" Susan B. Anthony coin. It was NEVER released into circulation, and has a proof mintage of just 750,000!