History of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar
The Susan B. Anthony dollar was the first US circulating coin to depict a real woman — and one of the great flops of American coinage, because its size and color made it constantly mistaken for a quarter. Production stopped after 1981, with a one-year encore in 1999 when postal vending machines ran short.
Nearly all SBAs are worth exactly one dollar. The exceptions collectors hunt: the 1979-P Wide Rim (Near Date) variety, the 1979-S and 1981-S Type 2 proofs with clear S mint marks, and the scarcer 1981 circulation issues sold only in mint sets.
The Susan B. Anthony dollar was struck from 1979 to 1981, and again in 1999 in copper-nickel clad. The design is the work of Frank Gasparro. Each coin weighs 8.1 grams. Production took place at Philadelphia (P), Denver (D) and San Francisco (S).
How much is a Susan B. Anthony dollar worth?
Condition drives everything in numismatics. A heavily worn Susan B. Anthony dollar and a pristine one can differ in price by a factor of ten or more, so treat the figures below as broad retail ranges for problem-free coins rather than fixed quotes.
Printed price guides age quickly. The most honest benchmark is what comparable coins actually sold for, which is why CoinVault Pro shows live values built on Numista catalog data and real eBay sold results whenever it identifies a coin.
- Circulated: face value
- 1979-P Wide Rim, uncirculated: $10–$30
- 1981 issues (mint set only), BU: $3–$8
- 1979-S Type 2 proof: $40–$80
- 1981-S Type 2 proof: $150–$250
How to identify a genuine Susan B. Anthony Dollar
Before you get excited about a potential find, confirm that the coin in your hand matches the genuine article. Work through this checklist:
When a coin fails any of these checks, treat it with suspicion. Modern counterfeits can be convincing at arm's length, but weight, dimensions and die details rarely lie.
- Wide Rim: the date nearly touches the rim; common Narrow Rim coins show a clear gap.
- Type 2 proof S mint marks are clear and rounded; Type 1 marks look like a blob.
- 1981-P, D and S circulation strikes came only in mint sets — worth a small premium.
Check your Susan B. Anthony dollar with CoinVault Pro
The fastest way to find out what you have is to photograph the coin with CoinVault Pro. The app identifies it using Gemini AI combined with Coin-CLIP image matching, estimates a grade on the full Sheldon 1–70 scale, and shows live market values built on Numista catalog data and real eBay sold prices.
From there you can add the coin to your collection, track its value over time, put upgrades on your wishlist, or list it on the in-app marketplace with escrow protection. The app is free to download on iOS and Android.