While many Americans are aware that the Susan B Anthony was the first time a historical American woman appeared on a US coin (previous appearances of women on US coinage were just as "mythological" figures), there were actually FOUR years the coin was minted.
1979, 1980, 1981 and 1999.
A new batch had to be rushed through the mint in 1999, because, while the dollar coin has NOT been very popular in recent years, it IS used in certain vending machines, and the supply of older SBA dollar coins was running out. The law for the new Sacajawea dollars could NOT take effect until 2000 (and I'm not sure the dies for making the new coins were ready anyhow).

Also, if you go to www.usmint.gov and read about the 50 state quarter program, you'll find out the initial proposal was for 50 state DOLLAR COINS, with the different reverses on the SBA dollar, not the Washington Quarter Dollar! This was amended in later versions of the legislation.

#1482