ly N. LA VEM. CKMSTENSEN Herald Edltor Emerltns Five yurs ago Susan B. Antony, reformer and suffragette, ecame the first woman to be ictured on an American coin of eneral circulation. The “Anthony dollar” made its ebut with fanfare July Z, 1079 ut public acceptance never has een enthusiastic largely because I its confusing resemblance to he 25-cent piece and popularity I the dollar bill. As a national magazine quipped list months alter the coln’s introuction, “it’s a buck that’s hard a pass.” The fact that inventories of the nini-size dollars are now collectng dust in U.S. mint and reserve tank vaults should not be interreted as any discredit to Susan I. Anthony. 1-ler efforts in pineering for wornen’s rights stand is a monumental example of farihted leadership. Today on the 164111 anniversary If her birth Feb. 15, 1820 in ldams. Mass. she is widely renembered. A celebraiton in her nnor, sponsored in Washingotn, ). C. by the National Organiraion of Women. features Democratic presidential candidate and ormer Vice President Walter F. Iondale as speaker. Anthony spent more than 50 rears working for women’s ights. especially the voting priviage and equality in educaiton and rroperty rights. In 1869 she and Elizabeth Cady ltanton formed the National Woman Suffrage Association to work for a constitutional amendnent to grant women the vote. Anthony received national publcity when she voted in the presilential election of 1872. Sbe was ested sod fined $100 for illegal ‘ but never paid the fine. No rther action was taken against The campaign for voting rights ched a high point while Aomyqwas president of the Ameriational Woman Suffrage Asiatlon 18921.0 1000. The 19th Amendment alvina women the vote became law in 1920. 14 years after Anthony’s death at age 06, Back to the Anthony dollar: The idea to phase out the hulkier Eisenhower dollar in favor of a small coin was advanced in the seventies by a Treasury Department task force which believed the move would save millions of dollars per year. A predicted lifetime of over 15 years for the coin was a key argument. Why the size. just larger than the quarter? Treasury officials said that. besides getting away from the large one-dollar coins of the past. they had to avoid slzu that matched those of cheaper foreign coins. The U.S. Treasury approved the new ooln Dec. 31, 1976. A change of administrations delayed action. Finally in April lm the Carter Administration urged Congreu to authorize the program. Sen. William Proxmire, D-Wis., and Rep. Mary Rose Ouer, DOhio. introduced companion bills in their respective Houses of Congress for u coin that would honor Anthony. Congress gave the nod and President Carter signed the legislation Oct. 10. 1975. . S, mints were orderd to turn out 500 millio of the new dollars initially. Millions more were struck bdore minting stopped in 1900. The government hired public ‘relatioru people to promote the coin. But as early as October lm pollster George Gallup reported the reaction was “overwhelmingly unfavorable.” A clerk quoted by U. S. News and World Report seemed to sum up the most serious objection: “That thing has caused more headaches, Someone usually mistakes it for a quarter and gives it away as change.” U. S. mints in Philadelphia and . Denver both rqsort stu e invaltories of the Anthony dollar. Orders for the coins come from the Federla Reserve to supply member banks. Such requests apparently are spree. One magazine article specu- 4 lated that many Anthonys are beina stashad away as souvenirs.