Spitting image

Admittedly the Anthony mini dollar, which portrays famed suffragette Susan B. Anthony, never took off as a circulating coin. Some thought it was too close in size to the quarter to be easily identifiable.

Coinage was from 1979-1981 and again in 1999. In 2000, it was replaced by the first of the gold-colored Sacagawea coins.

I can't say I was ever a fan of the Anthony dollar, but I've always thought any criticism of the depiction couldn't really be directed at the designer, then Mint chief engraver Frank Gasparro.

He favored a different design harking back to the original Flowing Hair Liberty for the obverse along with a dramatic eagle in flight for the reverse. Legislation, however, called for Anthony to be shown on the coin.

As can be seen from this depiction featuring original pictures of Anthony and the various stages of the coinage design process, his portrayal was accurate.