Your 1979 Silver Dollar Value: What It's Really Worth

The Wide Rim variety, also catalogued as FS-301 by CONECA, emerged in late 1979 when the Philadelphia Mint modified its working dies to move the rim closer to the design elements. Because this change happened partway through the year, two clearly distinct hub types exist for 1979-P: the original Narrow Rim (Far Date) and the newer Wide Rim (Near Date).

The diagnostic is straightforward but requires care: on the Wide Rim coin, the top of the "1" in "1979" nearly touches the inner edge of the rim, leaving almost no gap. On the common Narrow Rim, a clear space separates the date from the rim. Under a 5× or 10× loupe, the difference is unmistakable. Both share the same obverse portrait, the same reverse eagle design, and identical composition.

Collectors pay a steep premium at gem uncirculated grades because the Wide Rim was produced in smaller quantities during the short final production run of 1979-P dies — survival in MS-65 and above is considerably lower than the Narrow Rim. The single PCGS MS-67+ example realized $6,462.50 at Heritage Auctions in February 2016 and $6,995 in later trading, making it the highest-valued circulation strike in the 1979 series.

The 1979-S proof dollar was struck in two distinct hub types, distinguished entirely by the clarity of the "S" mint mark. The Type 1 (Filled S) was produced first and is the common variety — its mint mark appears partially clogged or blob-like because the die's fine serif details were obscured by die grease or excessive polish. The Type 2 (Clear S) was introduced later with a revised, sharper punch and shows a crisp, fully defined "S" with clean serifs at top and bottom.

To identify the Type 2, examine the "S" under a 10× loupe or coin microscope. The serifs — the small horizontal feet at the top and bottom of the "S" — must be sharp, distinct, and clearly separated from the body of the letter. On the Type 1, these serifs are indistinct or merged into the body of the letter, giving the "S" a rounded, blob-like silhouette. The rest of the coin's design is identical on both types.

The Type 2 is considered significantly scarcer than the Type 1 because the revised punch was introduced late in the proof production run. In PR-65 to PR-67 DCAM condition, Type 2 examples command premiums of 5 to 10 times the Type 1 value. The PCGS auction record for the Type 2 proof is $1,955, versus $719 for the finest Type 1.

An off-center strike occurs when the planchet is not correctly seated within the collar during striking, causing the dies to imprint the design on only a portion of the blank. On a 1979 SBA dollar, the result is a coin where Susan B. Anthony's portrait and the surrounding lettering appear shifted toward one edge, while the opposite edge shows a blank, unstruck crescent of copper-nickel metal.

The degree of off-centering — expressed as a percentage — directly governs collector interest and price. A 5–10% off-center shift is mild and worth a small premium. Errors of 25–50% are highly desirable, showing a meaningful crescent of blank metal while the date and key design elements remain fully visible. Errors above 50% off-center, where the date may be partially or fully missing, are the most dramatic visually but can be harder to attribute firmly to 1979.

For off-center errors, retaining the full date is critical to value — collectors want to confirm the year without ambiguity. A 30–50% off-center 1979 SBA dollar with a full visible date, authenticated and slabbed by PCGS or NGC, typically sells in the $200–$500 range, with exceptional examples bringing more. All mint marks are susceptible, though Philadelphia examples are most commonly found due to the higher mintage.

Wrong planchet errors are among the most spectacular and valuable mistakes produced at the U.S. Mint. They occur when a coin blank intended for a different denomination is accidentally fed into the dollar press. On a 1979 SBA dollar, the most documented examples involve quarter planchets (smaller, thinner blanks) mistakenly loaded into the dollar coin press at the Philadelphia Mint. The resulting coin is visibly smaller in diameter than a normal dollar, with the dollar design truncated at the edges where the smaller blank ran out of surface area.

The visual diagnostic is immediate: the coin is measurably smaller and lighter than a standard SBA dollar. A genuine SBA dollar weighs 8.1 grams and measures 26.5 mm; a coin struck on a quarter planchet weighs approximately 5.67 grams and measures 24.3 mm. If the coin's weight and diameter don't match the standard, a wrong planchet error may be present. Nickel and dime planchet errors have also been documented for the 1979 series, each with even more dramatic size discrepancies.

These coins command the highest premiums of any 1979 SBA error. A 1979 SBA dollar struck on a dime planchet sold at a major auction in 2004 for $10,062.50 according to publicly documented sales. A 1979-S example struck on a nickel planchet, graded MS-63 by PCGS, represents another documented extreme. Authentication by PCGS or NGC is absolutely mandatory before any purchase or sale — convincing fakes exist and wrong planchet errors are the most frequently counterfeited type in the SBA series.

Doubled die errors on the 1979 SBA dollar occur during the die-making process, when the working die receives two impressions from the hub in slightly different rotational or lateral positions. The result is a coin where inscriptions, design elements, or the date show a clear, raised secondary image offset from the primary. On the 1979-P and 1979-D, doubling has been documented primarily in the LIBERTY inscription, the date numerals, and in some instances Susan B. Anthony's facial features.

Unlike machine doubling — a post-strike mechanical phenomenon that creates flat, shelf-like ghost images — a true doubled die obverse produces distinct, rounded secondary lettering that sits fully raised from the coin's surface. Under a 10× loupe, look for separate, complete secondary letters rather than flat smearing. The doubling on 1979 SBA dollars tends to be moderate rather than dramatic, requiring a loupe to confirm, though strong DDO examples are known and command the highest premiums within this error category.

Certified examples of 1979 DDO dollars in the $75–$300 range represent one of the more accessible entry points into the SBA error market, making them popular with intermediate collectors. Strong, visually dramatic doubling in grades above MS-65 can push well above $300. As with all doubled die claims, PCGS or NGC attribution and certification is the gold standard — many alleged DDOs are actually machine doubling and are worth minimal premium over face value.