She’s Banking on Susan B. Anthony

Remember the Susan B. Anthony dollar? Issued in 1979 to honor the pioneer suffragist, the coin proved to be a numismatic Edsel. Easily confused with a quarter, it was soon withdrawn.

Well, it’s back. New York-based Susan B. Anthony Productions is offering gold-plated coin pendants at $22.98 as future “heirlooms.”

“I felt the coin got such a bad rap” the first time around, says TV writer/producer and entrepreneur Mimi Davidson. “Everybody felt horrible.”

First, Davidson had to find the coins, which aren’t available by the roll at any teller’s cage. At the Bank of New York on Wall Street, “they opened the vault for me. I got hundreds of them”--for $1 each.

She has also designed red, white and blue silk-screened T-shirts, tote bags, caps and mugs. Each has an Americana quilt border framing the words, Susan B. Anthony and Vote.

Why Anthony-abilia in ‘92? “After the Anita Hill debacle,” Davidson says, she “started paying more attention to women’s problems.” Wishing to honor a true role model, she chose “a woman who dedicated every waking moment to getting women the vote.”

So others will learn more about Anthony, who died in 1906 at the age of 86, she has included with each item a quilt-motif bookmark with a brief biography.

Partial proceeds will go to women candidates. For information, call (800) 366-4777. Later, Davidson may market a quilt, and adds: “Hopefully, we’ll get a movie made about her one day.”