1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar Value Guide

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar Value

Circulation-strike 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollars have comparative value across the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints.

It is only in the upper mint-state range where you will see values in the thousands. In this range, Denver is the most valuable, followed by Philadelphia, with San Francisco being the least valuable. 

1979-S Type 2 proof dollars are more valuable than the Type 1 versions. A Type 2 proof with a PR 70 UC/DCAM grade is 2.5 times more valuable than a Type 1 of the same grade. 

An N/A for a value below indicates no publicly known examples of that version of the 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar with that grade, or no value information (or not enough) exists for it yet.

Additionally, all values are conservative estimates based on research. Please note all values are subject to change due to the market or circumstances unaccounted for during research and publication. We always recommend doing further research or consulting with a professional.

Melt Value

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar’s melt value is approximately negligible. The melt value will fluctuate with the market.

Circulation Strike Value Chart

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1979-P Susan B. Anthony Dollar	1979-P Wide Rim Susan B. Anthony Dollar	1979-D Susan B. Anthony Dollar	1979-S Susan B. Anthony Dollar
Good – G	$1	$1	$1	$1
Very Good – VG	$1	$1	$1	$1
Fine – F	$1	$1	$1	$1
Very Fine – VF	$1	$1	$1	$1
Extra Fine – XF	$1	$1	$1	$1
About Uncirculated – AU	$1-$1	$9-$12	$1-$1	$1-$1
Mint State – MS	$3-$5,700 (68)	$15-$4,500 (67+)	$3-$5,900 (68)	$3-$4,400 (58)

Ultra/Deep Cameo (UC/DCAM) Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1979-S Type 1 Proof Susan B. Anthony Dollar	1979-S Type 2 Proof Susan B. Anthony Dollar
PR 60 UC/DCAM	N/A	N/A
PR 61 UC/DCAM	N/A	N/A
PR 62 UC/DCAM	N/A	N/A
PR 63 UC/DCAM	N/A	N/A
PR 64 UC/DCAM	$6	$30
PR 65 UC/DCAM	$8	$32
PR 66 UC/DCAM	$9	$33
PR 67 UC/DCAM	$11	$37
PR 68 UC/DCAM	$14	$42
PR 69 UC/DCAM	$20	$51
PR 70 UC/DCAM	$58	$147

What Makes A 1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar Valuable?

Factors such as grading, strike type, errors, and die varieties increase the value of 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollars. 

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

As with all circulation-strike coins, the 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollars are graded from 1 to 70. 

They are worth their face value of $1 until the “about uncirculated” range, in this range they are worth between $1 and $12. 

It is only in the upper mint-state range where coin values reach thousands.

Rarity

The Mint produced 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollars approximately 761,480,919 times across all of its versions. Please see the following list for the breakdown for each version:

• 1979-P: 360,222,000 minted in Philadelphia^1-2
• 1979-P Wide Rim: part of 1979-P mintage^3-4
• 1979-D: 288,015,744 minted in Denver^5-6
• 1979-S: 109,576,000 minted in San Francisco^7-8
• 1979-S Type 1 Proof: 3,667,175 minted in San Francisco^9-10
• 1979-S Type 2 Proof: part of 1979-S proof mintage^11-12

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar is not a rare coin.

Type 2 proof versions are more rare than Type 1 proofs.

Mint Marks

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar has three mint marks.

• “P” mint mark on those minted in Philadelphia^1-2
• “D” mint mark on coins from the Denver Mint^5-6
• “S” mint mark on dollars from San Francisco^7-8

Only San Francisco minted proof coins, therefore all proofs have an “S” mint mark.^9-12 

Strike Types

There are two strike types of the 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar: circulation and proof.

Proof strike coins go through a different striking process than circulation coins. Special proof dies strike highly polished planchets multiple times. Far fewer proofs are minted than circulation strikes. 

Usually, proof strikes are the more valuable version. But, high mint-state graded circulation-strike 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollars are worth much more. A circulation strike graded at 68 is worth over 140 times more than a proof of the same grade.  

Design Variations

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar has no design variations.

Special Designations

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar has no special designations.

Error Coins 

The most valuable 1979 Susan B Anthony error coins are wrong planchet errors. One such example is a San Francisco-minted dollar’s design on a dime planchet. This coin sold at auction for over $10,000.¹⁶ Another example struck on a one-cent planchet sold for $7,475 at auction.¹⁷

Other known valuable errors include:¹⁵

• Off-Center Errors
• Broadstrike Errors

Die Varieties

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony has several notable die varieties.¹⁸

• 1979-P Narrow Rim
• 1979-P Wide Rim
• 1979-S Type 1 Proof
• 1979-S Type 2 Proof

Circulation-strike 1979-P Wide Rim dollars are more valuable from the “about uncirculated” range to the mid-mint-state range. There are no professionally certified grades above 67 for the 1979-P Wide Rim variety. 

Of the two proof varieties, the 1979-S Type 2 version is the most valuable.  

Composition

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar is 75% copper and 25% nickel over a pure copper core. Its melt value is negligible. 

We strongly advise against melting your 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar or any coin as they are usually more valuable when sold intact. 

How Do You Know If You Have A Valuable 1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar?

The best way to know if you have a valuable 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar (or any coin) and to get that value out of it is to have it professionally certified.

However, you can look for many elements to get you started in determining what coin you have.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

1979 Susan B. Anthony dollars in the mint-state range are the most valuable. Look for coins with the following qualities:

• Few marks or scratches
• Good luster
• Well-struck
• Clear details
• Little sign of wear

Mint Marks

Look at the obverse side of your 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar to locate the mint mark. It is on the left-hand side, above Anthony’s shoulder.

A “P” mint mark is on dollars from the Philadelphia Mint. This includes both the regular and wide rim versions.

A “D” mint mark is on Denver-minted dollars.

An “S” mint mark is on dollars minted in San Francisco. These include both the San Francisco-minted circulation strikes and all proof versions. 

Strike Types

There are circulation and proof strikes of the 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar.

Proof versions are of noticeably better quality than circulation strikes. 

All proof versions are ultra/deep cameos. These exhibit great contrast between the mirrored fields on the coin and the frosted devices. 

Check both sides of your coin for the ultra/deep cameo appearance. 

Design Variations

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar has no design variations.

Special Designations

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar has no special designations.

Error Coins

It is always best to have a professional certify your error coins to get the most value out of it. But, to get you started, below are some ways to help you identify known 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar error coins.

Wrong Planchet Error

When the design of one coin is on the planchet of another denomination, it is a wrong planchet error.

Check the size and color of your 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar. If it is larger or smaller than a normal Anthony Dollar, likely it is a wrong planchet error.

If the color is not the silvery hue of regular Anthony dollars, then the wrong planchet is a different metal, such as bronze. 

Wrong planchets are the most valuable errors for 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollars. Examples have sold at auction in the thousands and tens of thousands. 

Off-Center Error

When there is a misalignment of the dies and the planchet, an off-center error occurs.

Luckily, this is an easy error to spot. 

Look at both sides of your coin to see if the design is off-center in a certain direction.

Percentages measure the amount a coin is off-center, for example, 35% off-center. The higher the percentage, the more the error is worth.

Broadstrike Error

When a planchet is struck without its collar it is a broadstrike error. In the striking process, the collar keeps the planchet the correct size. If the collar is absent, the metal can expand. 

Check your 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar to see if it is larger than it should be. A normal Anthony dollar is 36.50 millimeters (1.04 inches) in diameter.

Often, you will see plain metal around the edge of the coin’s design. 

This error adds value to your coin.

Die Varieties

Here are some tips to help you identify known 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar die varieties.¹⁸

1979-P (Narrow Rim)

The identifier for this variety is the 11-sided inner border. The easiest place to identify this is on the coin’s date.

Look at your coin’s obverse side. At the bottom is the date, “1979.” Check the distance between the rim and the date’s “1.” There should be a clear space between them.

Higher grades of this variety are available and thus more valuable.

1979-P Wide Rim

Again, the identifier of this variety is the coin’s 11-sided inner border. 

Look at the date on your coin’s obverse side. Specifically, assess the distance between the date’s “1” and the edge of the border.

For the 1979-P Wide Rim variety, there is very little distance between the “1” and the border. They are almost touching.

This is more valuable from the “about uncirculated” range. 

1979-S Type 1 Proof

The 1979-S Susan B. Anthony dollar proof varieties are determined by their mint marks. 

Type 1 features the older “S” mint mark style. It is the “Filled S.”

Look at your coin’s obverse side, the “S” mint mark is on the left-hand side above Anthony’s shoulder. 

For the Type 1 variety, the details of the “S” mint mark are less defined. It is blurred and “filled” in. 

1979-S Type 2 Proof

As with the Type 1 proof variety, look at the “S” mint mark on your coin’s obverse side. It sits above Anthony’s shoulder on the left-hand side. 

The Type 2 variety’s “S” mint mark is clearly defined. Sharp serifs are evident. This is the “Clear S.” 1979 marks its first usage in San Francisco mintages.

This is the more valuable variety of the two proof die varieties.  

Additional Information About The 1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar

History

If you thought the Eisenhower dollar series had a short run, the Susan B. Anthony’s is even shorter. Mintage began in 1979 and ended 3 years later in 1981. It returned for 1 year’s mintage in 1999. 

The coin honors Susan B. Anthony, a famous suffragette, equal rights advocate, and abolition activist. Along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Anthony is one of the most famous leaders in the American Suffragette movement. 

She founded the National Woman Suffrage Association. In 1888 she became the leader of the then-merged National American Women’s Suffrage Association. She held this position until 1900. 

Unfortunately, Anthony died 14 years before the 19th Amendment gave American women the right to vote.  

Susan B. Anthony is the first real female citizen featured on a US coin.

However, this much-maligned coin received little praise for either its design or for its usefulness. 

^{Sources: 13-14,19}

The Coin’s Obverse Side

Susan B. Anthony’s profile fills the majority of the 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar’s obverse side. 

“Liberty” is above her head, and the year “1979” is below. 13 stars separate these two, 7 on the left and 6 on the right. 

“In God We Trust” is on the right of Anthony’s chin. Gasparro’s initials “FG” are below Anthony’s bust on the right. 

The mint mark is on the left side, above Anthony’s shoulder. A “P” mint mark is on coins from Philadelphia. A “D” mint mark is on dollars from the Denver Mint. San Francisco-minted dollars have an “S” mint mark. 

An 11-sided inner border features around the inside rim. 

^{Sources: 1-8}

The Coin’s Reverse Side

The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar features the same reverse as the Eisenhower series.

An eagle landing on the Moon is in the center of the reverse side. It holds an olive branch in its talons. The image of the Earth is in the background. Gasparro’s initials “FG” are below the eagle’s tail feathers. 

“E Pluribus Unum” is above the eagle. This is America’s Latin motto which means “Out of many, one.”

“United States of America” curves the coin’s rim at the top. 13 stars follow this curve below.  “One Dollar” is at the bottom.

An 11-sided inner border features around the coin’s inside rim.

^{Sources: 1-2}

Sources

1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar Value Guide Sources