Commems Collection Currency: What If? Susan B. Anthony $2 Bill - Part I

I've noticed a few discussions here related to the Series 1976 $2 bill, so it seemed a good time to add a bit of potential alternate history to the discussion...


The early 1970s was a time when the United States ("US") Treasury Department was proactively exploring its return to active production of the $2 bill. While the portrait of Thomas Jefferson. the third US President whose portrait was featured on the earlier US $2 bill, ultimately continued on the notes that were issued in conjunction with the US Bicentennial (and beyond), his portrait was not the only consideration.

In addition to the multiple bills introduced in the US Congress that called for the resumption of the $2 bill without specifying the portrait to appear on them, the Senate and House of Representatives ("House") also saw the introduction of bills that called for a $2 bill with a portrait of Susan B. Anthony.

Susan Brownell Anthony - Circa 1900

(Image Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Dividion. Public Domain.)

Congressional activity began in November 1971, during the First Session of the 92nd Congress, when Seymour Halpern (R-NY) introduced a pair of bills calling for a $2 bill featuring a portrait of Susan B. Anthony. The bills were immediately referred to the House Committee on Banking and Currency. Halpern's bills got off to a positive start, with one bill being introduced with 23 co-sponsors and the other with nine. But strong starts don't always produce desired endings.

The bills were not reported by the Committee or considered further in the House.

In early December 1971, also during the First Session of the 92nd Congress, John Glenn Beall, Jr. (R-MD) also introduced a bill that called for the issuance of $2 bills with a portrait of Susan B. Anthony.

After providing background biographical information on Ms. Anthony during his bill's introductory comments, Beall stated:

"I introduce this bill not as a token gesture to the movement for women's rights but in the sincere hope that, by our legislative efforts, we can seek to undo the historical biases that work to the detriment of a majority of our population. It is time for us to recognize that women are entitled to complete equality before the law, complete equality of opportunity, and recognition for the many and considerable accomplishments that they have rendered to the development of the American Nation. Our currency has long honored and recognized the great men who help to make our Nation what it is today and this bill can serve as the first step in the effort to grant recognition to a great American and to a great woman whose lifelong efforts expanded freedom, justice, and the cause of equality in the United States."

The Susan B. Anthony $2 bill story continues in Part II.


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, see: Commems Collection.