1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coin Value

Jump to: Real Woman on U.S. Money | Value and Rarity | Grades and Condition | Varieties and Errors | Price Chart | FAQs

The Susan B. Anthony Dollar was introduced in 1979 to honor this important American suffragist, abolitionist and women's rights activist. The 1979 strike, as the first mintage of the design, is a landmark in the United States Mint and US Coinage. Some rare variaties can be worth up to $10,000.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to the 1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar coin value and explains why some specimens are highly sought after by collectors.

Key Takeaways:

• The 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar derives its worth from historical significance and collector demand, since it is made of copper-nickel rather than precious metals.

• Featuring Susan B. Anthony, a pioneering leader in women’s rights, this coin stands out as the first U.S. circulating coin to portray a real woman, adding enduring cultural and numismatic value.

• The most notable variety is the Wide Rim and the Philadelphia Issue. High-grade examples of the 1979-P Susan Dollars can reach $10,000, making them some of the most impressive numbers in the series.

A Real Woman on U.S. Money

The Susan B. Anthony dollar coin, introduced in 1979 as a smaller dollar coin, was meant to replace the Eisenhower dollar. The original plan was to show an allegorical Liberty, but Congress pushed for a real woman who embodied women’s rights and equal rights, leading to the choice of Susan B. Anthony.

What changed was the obverse, now featuring Susan B. Anthony’s portrait. The reverse stayed the same: Frank Gasparro’s design of an eagle landing on the Moon with an olive branch, based on the Apollo 11 mission insignia.

Though redesigned for practicality, the Anthony Dollar Coin was often mistaken for the quarter, leading to low public acceptance. Minting paused after 1981 and returned briefly in 1999.

Understanding Value and Rarity

The value of a coin that is not made of gold or silver is always a collective and somewhat subjective idea.

In the case of the Susan B. Anthony dollar, which is made of copper and nickel, its appeal comes less from its metal content than from its place in history, its distinctive appearance, and its role in numismatics.

The Anthony dollar was unpopular in everyday circulation because many people mistook it for a quarter, and owners of vendingu machines had to modify their machines to accept it and dispense it as change. This unusual situation led people to hold onto the coin instead of spending it.

As a result, the coin felt rare in circulation, not because of low mintage but because individuals kept them whenever they found one. Its relative rarity at the time, therefore, comes from public behavior and perception rather than actual production numbers.

Coin Grades and Conditions

Coin grading plays a key role in evaluating a coin’s worth because it provides a standardized way for numismatics to describe the state of preservation and authenticity of different coin varieties, using a simple, consistent system.

The Sheldon grading scale is the most widely used system for grading coins. It runs from 1 to 70, with each number representing a specific level of preservation:

• 1–3 (Poor to About Good)

• 4–12 (Good to Fine)

• 15–35 (Very Fine)

• 40–58 (Extremely Fine to About Uncirculated)

• 60–70 (Mint State / Uncirculated)

  • MS60–63: Few marks or dull luster.

  • MS64–66: Fewer marks, stronger luster.

  • MS67–70: Nearly flawless, with MS70 being perfect.

Key 1979 Varieties and Errors

1979-P Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coin

1979-P Coins in uncirculated condition become truly difficult to find once they reach higher grades.

At MS67, they are very hard to locate, with perhaps only a few hundred existing across all mint mark varieties.

At MS68, they represent the top tier, exceptionally rare coins with only a handful known to exist.

The auction record for this coin reached $3,819 for an MS65 example sold by Heritage Auctions in 2014. Today, a coin graded MS68 by PCGS is estimated to be worth around $10,000.

1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coin Regular Strike (Wide Rim Variety)

In late 1979, the design was revised, and the rim was widened to improve the coin’s appearance. Because all later Susan B. Anthony dollars were minted with this wider rim, the coins struck at the end of 1979 became known as the Wide Rim variety.

This created two different varieties for that year: the Narrow Rim and the Wide Rim.

The main difference between these two types is how close the rim sits to the date. A regular 1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar with a Narrow Rim shows a visible gap between the rim and the date, while the Wide Rim variety has the date positioned much closer to the edge.

The auction record for this variety, graded MS67, stands at $6,995, set in 2021 on eBay.

1979-S Dollar Coin (Regular Strike)

The 1979-S Susan B. Anthony Dollar is widely available in circulated grades and remains common through MS65. Scarcity begins at MS66, where a few thousand pieces are believed to survive. MS67 examples are far less available, with estimates around 400 known.

Coins in MS68 are genuinely rare, with only a small handful confirmed, and no specimens reported in higher grades.

The Auction Record for this coin is $15,000 set in 2021 at eBay.

1979-D Dollar Coin (Regular Strike)

According to PCGS specialists, most of these coins containing the "D" mint mark are still common and occasionally appear in circulation, though bank tellers, store clerks, and the general public often pull them aside when they do.

The Federal Reserve continues to hold large quantities, but most banks avoid distributing them. Scarcity begins at MS66, while MS67 coins are considered very scarce, with estimates suggesting no more than 500 surviving.

The Auction Record for this coin is $1,528, set in 2017 at Heritage Auctions, though PCGS professionals value the coin at $10,000.

Price Chart

Legacy and Lasting Significance

To summarize, the 1979 dollar coin value comes from the design changes it introduced, the public’s perception of its relative rarity, and the strong collector interest it still generates.

Although it is not a silver dollar coin, certain varieties, especially the Wide Rim, can sell for far more than face value, sometimes even attracting competitive bids on eBay and Heritage Auctions.

FAQs

Is a silver dollar coin from 1979 worth anything?

Yes, if they are major varieties. The San Francisco issue can reach over $4,800 in uncirculated grades, while both the Philadelphia and Denver coins are evaluated around $10,000. Even the Wide Rim variety often brings close to $2,000, making certain 1979 dollars appealing pieces to purchase for collectors.

Which Susan B Anthony coins are valuable?

All Susan B. Anthony dollars are worth at least their face value of one dollar, just like dollar bills are. Among them, the 1981-S Susan B. Anthony dollar stands out for having one of the lowest mintage numbers in the series. It is nearly unobtainable in MS67, with no registered examples above that grade. One exemplar sold for $21,600 in 2022 at Heritage Auctions.

Which $1 coin is worth money?

Several U.S. $1 coins are especially relevant to collectors because they can be worth far more than their pocket change value. While most were minted in the millions, rare examples of the Flowing Hair Dollar, 1804 Dollar, Trade Dollar, and Morgan Silver Dollar can command high prices. Collectors are often willing to pay exceptional amounts when these coins appear in outstanding condition.

How many 1979 $1 dollar coins are there in the world?

It is hard to know exactly how many 1979 $1 coins still exist, especially because many were hoarded and not all ever re-entered circulation. However, based on United States Mint records, we know how many were produced: 757,813,744 Susan B. Anthony dollar coins dated 1979 were struck for circulation across the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints.

How do I know if my 1979 Susan B Anthony Coin is valuable?

The main variety int he 1979 susan b anthony is the main variety. it is a new design that was released late 1979 and have a wide border close to the date. The best way of assessing a coins' value is to get it professionally appraised. Unfornutalt nowadays we face many counterfeiting and we can rely on reputable dealers and grading services such as ngc and pcgs.

What is special about the 1979 Susan B Anthony dollar?

To know if your 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar is valuable, start by checking its obverse for the Wide Rim variety, where the border sits close to the date, and confirm that the reverse looks consistent with genuine examples. Because counterfeits exist, the best way to resolve a coin’s true value is to rely on reputable dealers or professional grading services such as NGC or PCGS.