{"id":181,"date":"2026-08-13T20:41:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T20:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/?p=181"},"modified":"2026-08-13T20:41:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T20:41:55","slug":"how-much-is-a-1979-silver-dollar-worth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/how-much-is-a-1979-silver-dollar-worth\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Is a 1979 Silver Dollar Worth?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar contains no silver, so it has no silver melt value.<\/strong>&nbsp;Despite its silver-gray appearance, the coin is copper-nickel clad. Most ordinary examples derive their value from the $1 denomination and collector demand rather than precious-metal content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some 1979 dollars deserve closer inspection. The&nbsp;<strong>1979-P Wide Rim<\/strong>, also called the Near Date, is a scarcer Philadelphia variety, while 1979-S proofs have two recognized mint-mark types. High-grade examples can also command collector premiums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key is identifying exactly which 1979 dollar you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Silver Content of a 1979 Dollar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar contains 0 troy oz of silver.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. Mint lists the coin as cupro-nickel clad, with an overall composition of&nbsp;<strong>8.33% nickel and the balance copper<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Its outer layers consist of 75% copper and 25% nickel bonded to a pure copper center. PCGS lists a standard weight of&nbsp;<strong>8.10 grams<\/strong>&nbsp;and diameter of&nbsp;<strong>26.50 mm<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Specification<\/th><th>1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Face value<\/td><td>$1<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Standard weight<\/td><td>8.10 g<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Diameter<\/td><td>26.50 mm<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Overall composition<\/td><td>91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Silver content<\/td><td><strong>0 troy oz<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Designer<\/td><td>Frank Gasparro<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The silver-gray color comes from the copper-nickel outer layers. It does not indicate silver content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Current Melt Value of a 1979 Silver Dollar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>There is no silver melt value to calculate because a standard 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar contains no silver.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For silver content:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>0 troy oz \u00d7 current silver spot price = $0 in contained silver<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That does not mean the coin itself is worthless. It retains its $1 face value, and collectible examples can be worth more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For this reason, this article does&nbsp;<strong>not<\/strong>&nbsp;use the live silver-price widget. Silver spot prices have no direct role in valuing a standard 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is a 1979 Dollar Worth More Than Face Value?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Some 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollars can be worth more than $1 because of variety, proof status, or condition.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The series began in 1979 and became the first U.S. circulating coin to depict a real woman. Frank Gasparro designed the coin, and its reverse adapted the Apollo 11 imagery previously used on the Eisenhower dollar.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For 1979 coins, check the mint mark and then inspect for recognized varieties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Philadelphia Mint also introduced the&nbsp;<code>P<\/code>&nbsp;mint mark on Anthony dollars. PCGS notes that this was the first use of&nbsp;<code>P<\/code>&nbsp;on the dollar denomination.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Condition matters as well. An ordinary circulated coin and a superb uncirculated example can have very different collector values even though both contain the same amount of silver: none.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is the 1979-P Wide Rim Dollar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The 1979-P Wide Rim, or Near Date, is one of the key varieties to check for on a 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are two major rim styles on 1979-P business strikes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Narrow Rim\/Far Date:<\/strong>\u00a0more space appears between the date and rim.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wide Rim\/Near Date:<\/strong>\u00a0the rim is wider and the date sits much closer to it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PCGS identifies the Wide Rim as the scarcer variety.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The difference resulted from an obverse design modification made during 1979. PCGS reports that the vast majority of Philadelphia coins use the Narrow Rim design.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;<strong>1979-P Wide Rim dollar<\/strong>&nbsp;still contains no silver. Its premium comes from relative scarcity and collector demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What About the 1979-S Proof Dollar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The 1979-S Susan B. Anthony proof has two recognized mint-mark varieties: Type 1 and Type 2.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The difference is in the appearance of the&nbsp;<code>S<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Type 1 proofs, the mint mark has a less distinct, filled appearance. Type 2 uses a clearer&nbsp;<code>S<\/code>. PCGS reports that Type 2 was produced later in 1979 and represents the smaller share of the year&#8217;s proof production.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neither type contains silver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proof coins have specially prepared surfaces intended for collectors, so avoid touching the faces or attempting to polish them. Fingerprints and cleaning can permanently alter the surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Makes a 1979 Susan B. Anthony Dollar Valuable?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Variety, grade, proof status, and surface preservation matter more than metal content because the coin contains no silver.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>P, D, or S mint mark<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1979-P Wide Rim\/Near Date<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1979-S Type 1 or Type 2 proof<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Uncirculated condition<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High numerical grade<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Original surfaces<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scratches or other damage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Evidence of cleaning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do not clean the coin. Polishing cannot reveal hidden silver, and altered surfaces can reduce collector appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you think you have a Wide Rim or unusual proof, compare it with authenticated examples before assigning a value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is a 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar made of silver?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. A 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar is&nbsp;<strong>copper-nickel clad and contains no silver<\/strong>. The U.S. Mint lists the composition as 8.33% nickel with the balance copper.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much silver is in a 1979 dollar coin?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A standard 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar contains&nbsp;<strong>0 troy oz of silver<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Its silver-gray appearance comes from its copper-nickel outer layers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a 1979-P Wide Rim dollar?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;<strong>1979-P Wide Rim dollar<\/strong>, also called the Near Date, has a wider obverse rim that places the date noticeably closer to the rim. It is scarcer than the normal Narrow Rim\/Far Date variety.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is a 1979-S Susan B. Anthony dollar silver?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. The 1979-S Susan B. Anthony dollar contains no silver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Collectors do recognize Type 1 and Type 2 proof varieties based on the appearance of the&nbsp;<code>S<\/code>&nbsp;mint mark.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re checking&nbsp;<strong>how much is a 1979 silver dollar worth<\/strong>, the first fact to know is that a 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar contains&nbsp;<strong>no silver<\/strong>. Silver spot prices therefore do not determine its value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check 1979-P coins for the scarcer Wide Rim\/Near Date variety and 1979-S proofs for Type 1 or Type 2 mint marks. Condition can also add collector value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have an older dollar that may contain precious metal, use our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/price\/\">live silver price<\/a>&nbsp;to calculate its silver value.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar contains no silver, so it has no silver melt value.&nbsp;Despite its silver-gray appearance, the coin is copper-nickel clad. Most ordinary examples derive their value from the $1 denomination and collector demand rather than precious-metal content. Some 1979 dollars deserve closer inspection. The&nbsp;1979-P Wide Rim, also called the Near Date, &#8230; <a title=\"How Much Is a 1979 Silver Dollar Worth?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/how-much-is-a-1979-silver-dollar-worth\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How Much Is a 1979 Silver Dollar Worth?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":182,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[31,21,50,65],"class_list":["post-181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-silver-value-coins","tag-silver","tag-silver-coins","tag-silver-dollar","tag-silver-dollar-worth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=181"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":183,"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181\/revisions\/183"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/925sterling.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}