Here's a place to place photographs of coins that didn't enter mass mintage for whatever reason. I'm talking about different designs, not aborted coins like the 1964 peace dollar or the 1974 aluminum penny.
This has always been a favorite of mine. The only thing that's better in terms of aesthetics on the actual coin that got minted than on this model is the location of the 3 "extra" stars on the reverse. I like having all 3 of them below the eagle.
Early prototype of the Susan B. Anthony dollar. I much prefer the obverse with the sensual image of Liberty over the scowling mug of Anthony, although the hat looks a little out of place. I prefer the reverse because it's a different design that is not shared with any other coin. While I love the Eisenhower reverse, the mint punted when they recycled an old design instead of using a new design. Here are some alternate obverse designs. The portrait of these proposals is just as ugly if not uglier than the portrait on the actual coin. The SBD coin is attractive, the portrait is not.
The hat is actually a Phrygian cap. Incidentally, the pole is a liberty pole. Both are venerable symbols of liberty which can be seen on many US coins. PS @dcarr, if you see this, I would love if you would do a fantasy piece with this design.
Here's a display at the last long beach expo of some of Bob Simpson's glorious patterns. Enjoy! Pics were tough with the glass case though
