Finding a 1979 D Susan B. Anthony dollar in your pocket change feels a bit like finding a relic from a failed experiment. It’s that weird, eleven-sided-on-the-inside coin everyone hated because it felt too much like a quarter. People back then called it the "Carter Quarter," and honestly, the name stuck for a reason. But here is the thing: while most of these are just worth a buck, the 1979 D Susan B Anthony dollar errors are a completely different story.
You’ve probably seen some crazy listings on eBay for thousands of dollars. Is that real? Sometimes. Most of the time, though, it’s just people hoping someone doesn't know better.
If you’re looking at a 1979 dollar with that little "D" for Denver, you aren't looking for the famous "Wide Rim" variety. That’s a Philadelphia (P) thing. You’re looking for the weird stuff—the mistakes that happened when the machines at the Denver Mint went haywire.
The Off-Center Strike: When Things Go Sideways
This is the king of errors for the Denver mintage. Basically, the coin blank (the planchet) didn't sit right in the press. When the dies came down to smash the design into the metal, they hit it off to one side.
You might see a coin that’s 10% off-center, where Susan’s head is just a bit too close to the edge. Those are cool, but not "retire early" cool. Now, if you find one that is 50% off-center—where half the coin is just a blank crescent of metal—you’re looking at serious money. I’ve seen these go for anywhere from $300 to over $500 depending on how much of the date is still visible. If the "1979" and the "D" are both there on a massive off-center strike, collectors go nuts.
Clipped Planchets and the "Bitten" Coin
Sometimes the machine that cuts the circular blanks out of the metal strip messes up. It overlaps with a hole it already punched. The result? A coin that looks like someone took a clean, curved bite out of the edge.
- Small clips: These are common and might add $20 or $30 to the value.
- Large clips: If about 20% to 25% of the coin is missing in a smooth arc, that’s a major error.
- Multiple clips: I once saw a 1979 D with two clips. It looked almost rectangular. That kind of rarity pushes the price toward the $100 to $200 range.
The "Filled D" and Mint Mark Gremlins
Honestly, this is where a lot of people get confused. You’ll see people talking about a "Filled D" error on the 1979 D Susan B. Anthony dollar.
What’s actually happening? Usually, it’s just grease.
When the minting presses run, they use a lot of lubricant. Sometimes, a glob of grease gets stuck inside the tiny hole of the "D" mint mark on the die. When the die hits the coin, the grease prevents the metal from flowing into that hole. The result is a mint mark that looks like a solid blob instead of a crisp letter.
Is it an error? Technically, yes. It's a "Struck Through Grease" error. Is it worth a fortune? Usually not. You might get $10 or $15 from a specialist, but it’s not a "holy grail" find.
The Broadstruck Error: The Coin That Forgot Its Limits
Every coin is supposed to be struck inside a "collar." This is a metal ring that keeps the coin's diameter consistent and creates those ridges (reeding) on the edge. If that collar isn't there when the coin is struck, the metal just spreads out like a pancake.
A broadstruck 1979 D Susan B. Anthony dollar will be slightly thinner and wider than a normal one. The edges will be smooth because the reeding never formed. Because the Denver Mint was pumping these out by the millions in 1979 (nearly 288 million, actually), these mistakes happened. A nice uncirculated broadstrike can easily fetch $50 to $100.
Misconceptions: The "Small Date" and Other Myths
You’ve gotta be careful with what you read on forums. A lot of people try to apply errors from other coins to the SBA dollar.
- The Small Date/Large Date Trap: People often confuse the 1979 S (San Francisco) proof varieties with the Denver coins. There is no "Type 2" clear mint mark for the Denver coins that carries a huge premium. The Denver "D" is pretty much just the Denver "D."
- The Wide Rim Mirage: I'll say it again—if it has a "D," it isn't a Wide Rim. The Wide Rim (or Near Date) error happened because the Philadelphia mint used a modified die. Denver didn't.
- Post-Mint Damage (PMD): If you find a coin that looks "smashed" or has weird holes, 99% of the time, someone did that in their garage or it got caught in a vending machine. Real errors have specific looks. A real clipped planchet, for example, will often show the "Blakesley Effect," where the rim directly opposite the clip is slightly weak or non-existent.
How to Check Your Coins
Don't go buying an expensive microscope just yet. A simple 10x jeweler’s loupe is basically all you need to spot the real 1979 D Susan B Anthony dollar errors.
First, check the rim. Is it uniform? If one side is way thicker than the other, you might have a misaligned die.
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Second, look at the "D" mint mark. Is it crisp? Or is it a blob?
Third, check for "doubling." True Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) coins for the 1979 D are rare, but they do exist. Look at the words "IN GOD WE TRUST." If you see clear, distinct "shelving" or a second set of serifs on the letters, you might have found something worth a few hundred bucks.
The 2026 Market: What’s It Worth Now?
We are currently seeing a weird spike in interest for "modern" errors. The generation that grew up with these coins is starting to collect them. While a standard, beat-up 1979 D is just a dollar, an MS67 (Mint State 67) graded specimen without any errors at all can still sell for over $1,500 because they are so hard to find in perfect condition.
Most SBA dollars were tossed into bags and scratched each other up, so "clean" ones are the real rarity.
If you think you have a major error—like an off-center strike or a wrong planchet (like an SBA dollar struck on a quarter blank)—get it authenticated. Companies like PCGS or NGC are the gold standard. It costs money, so only do it if the error is "obvious" to the naked eye.
Your Next Steps
- Weight Check: Get a digital scale that measures in grams. A normal SBA dollar weighs 8.1 grams. If yours is significantly lighter or heavier, it might be struck on the wrong metal.
- The Side-by-Side: Compare your "error" coin to a normal 1979 D. If the "error" looks mushy or scratched, it's probably just damage.
- Check the Reverse: Don't forget the eagle. Die cracks (thin raised lines of metal) are common on the reverse, especially through the words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." They aren't worth much, but they're a great way to start learning how to spot die variety.
Focus on the coins that look "wrong" at first glance. Those are the ones that usually hold the most value.