Owner Comments:
Until 1999, there were only three years of Proof issues of the Susan B. Anthony dollar: 1979, 1980, and 1981. With such a scant number of issues, it is easy to see why collectors sought out varieties to collect, expanding opportunities and interest in the series. Fortunately, great mintmark varieties do exist! When first issued, the 1979-S Proof Susan B. Anthony contained an S mint-mark that was little more than a blob, with the upper and lower portions mashed into a thick, ill-defined base. This coin is numismatically named Type 1 since it was the first version issued, and it also bears the more descriptive name Filled S. Later that year, a better-defined mintmark punch was used instead, the Type 2 or Clear S variety. Its use persisted through all of 1980 and into 1981. In 1981, a further refinement of the mintmark was attempted and a clearer-yet version was created. Since this happened well into the year, the original is called the Type 1 or, popularly, the Filled S version—even though it had the exact opposite name in 1979! The new version, showing wider loops and bulbous terminations at both ends of the S, is called the Type 2 or Clear S variety. One should note that the major certification services use the Type 1 and Type 2 naming schema, while most published resources refer to Filled-S and Clear S. Although clarity is a relative measure, there are ways to tell the two mintmarks apart without the other type present for comparison. One conclusive way to tell the marks apart is that the high points of the Type 1 S are rounded like an arch when viewed in cross-section, while the top of the Type 2 S is flattened, and thus its cross-section will resemble a mesa or step. Also, if you see thickened bulbs at the ends of the S and a circular shape to the top loop, you have a Type 2 coin. The Type 1 mintmark has smaller, rounded serifs, and the loop at the top of the S pinches together, making it appear elliptical in shape. On the Type 1 variety, the ends of the S will often, but not always, touch the center portion of the S, while the ends of the S on a Type 2 are most often, but not always, detached. One should use a magnifier to examine these fine details. Although more than four million Proof Susan B. Anthony dollars were produced in 1981, less than 10 percent are the Clear S or Type 2, making the estimated mint-age approximately 350,000. This is a low mintage for any widely collected variety, and means that Type 2 examples trade for five times (or more) the value of a Type 1. An exciting aspect of these coins is that they can be found in 1981 Proof sets, so it’s possible to be rewarded with a valuable find just by looking through these sets. Also of note, when production of the coin resumed in 1999, it seems there was no need to revisit the mintmark issues of the past. The coin was struck in Philadelphia and bears the P mintmark.
Garrett, Jeff; Schechter, Scott. 100 Greatest US Modern Coins (Kindle Locations 2730-2735). Ingram Distribution. Kindle Edition.