
A critical point of clarification regarding the 1979-D dollar coin is its composition. A common misconception is that this coin is made of silver; however, the Susan B. Anthony dollar, first minted in 1979, is a copper-nickel clad coin. It consists of an outer layer of 75% copper and 25% nickel bonded to a pure copper core. Therefore, its intrinsic value is not derived from any precious metal content.
The monetary worth of a 1979-D Susan B. Anthony dollar is overwhelmingly dependent on its physical condition, or grade. Due to a very high mintage of 288,015,744 coins from the Denver mint, specimens that entered circulation are extremely common. A circulated 1979-D dollar is typically worth only slightly above its face value, generally valued in the range of $1.05 to $1.15.
The value increases significantly for coins that were never circulated and remain in pristine, or mint state (MS), condition. Professional grading services assess these coins on a scale, and a higher grade corresponds to a higher value. For instance, a 1979-D dollar in a typical uncirculated grade of MS 63 might be valued around $5. In a higher grade of MS 65, the value increases to approximately $11. For exceptionally well-preserved examples graded MS 67, the value can rise substantially, potentially reaching over $100, as these specimens are considerably scarcer.


