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Graphite Drawing of Proposed Design for the Young Susan B. Anthony Dollar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 1979

American History Museum

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  • Sketch for Susan B. Anthony coin

    Object Details

    artist

    Gasparro, Frank

    Description (Brief)

    The Susan B. Anthony coin was the first American coin to illustrate an actual woman, rather than an allegorical or mythological figure. In this rendition of the dollar, Susan B. Anthony faces right; the ridge on her nose and her softened jaw line is less pronounced than in earlier drawings.
    The Susan B. Anthony coin was produced and distributed from the year 1979 through 1991, and then made one last year in 1999. Right from the beginning there was a problem with the new dollar because it was almost the same size as the quarter, and although the United States Mint gave the new dollar an eleven-sided edge to distinguish the dollar from the round quarter, people still confused the two coins. In the end, the Susan B. Anthony dollar never caught on as a spendable dollar for the general public.

    Location

    Currently not on view

    Credit Line

    Christina Gasparro Hansen

    date made

    ca 1979

    ID Number

    2009.0005.114

    accession number

    2009.0005

    catalog number

    2009.0005.114

    Object Name

    sketch

    Physical Description

    paper (overall material)
    graphite (overall material)

    Measurements

    overall: 21.1 cm x 20.4 cm; 8 5/16 in x 8 1/16 in
    overall design: 18 cm; 7 1/16 in

    place made

    United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

    See more items in

    Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
    Coins, Currency and Medals
    Art of Gasparro

    Data Source

    National Museum of American History

    Subject

    Art - Currency

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-56c5-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

    Record ID

    nmah_1395968

    Discover More

    Circular plaster model of the profile of a woman with flowing hair.

    Art of Frank Gasparro: 10th United States Mint Chief Engraver

    Circular plaster model of the profile of a woman with flowing hair.

    Art of Frank Gasparro: 10th United States Mint Chief Engraver

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