What it is
Early in 1979 the obverse of the Susan B. Anthony dollar was modified, widening the rim so that the date sits close to it. These "Wide Rim" or "Near Date" coins are scarcer than the regular Narrow Rim version.
How to identify it
- On the Wide Rim, the date nearly touches the rim.
- On the Narrow Rim, there is a clear gap between date and rim.
- Philadelphia: P mint mark on the left of the obverse.
A 5x to 10x loupe and good, angled light make the details much easier to see. For anything that looks genuine, a digital scale and a certified comparison coin help.
What gets mistaken for it
Compare the rim width and date spacing with a known Narrow Rim coin.
Why the Anthony dollar was made
The Susan B. Anthony dollar was introduced in 1979 to replace the large Eisenhower dollar, which was too big for everyday use and for most coin machines. Frank Gasparro designed it, with Anthony's portrait on the obverse and an eagle landing on the Moon, adapted from the Apollo 11 mission insignia, on the reverse. The coin was copper-nickel clad, weighed 8.1 grams and had an 11-sided inner border inside a round rim.
Its size and color were close to a quarter, which made it unpopular with the public. It was struck from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1999, when vending and transit demand had used up the government's stock before the Sacagawea dollar was ready. The 1981 coins were sold only to collectors.
How the rim change happened
Early 1979 coins had a narrow rim with the date well separated from it. During 1979 the Mint modified the obverse, widening the rim so that it crowds the date. Collectors call the original the Narrow Rim or Far Date and the modified version the Wide Rim or Near Date.
Because the change was made to the design rather than to a single die, every die made from the modified obverse shows the same wide rim. That makes the Wide Rim a design variety rather than an error. Its features are consistent from coin to coin, which makes it easier to attribute than a doubled die once you know what to look for.
A step-by-step check
Use a 5x loupe and a light from above. Look first at the bottom of the coin, where the date sits. Then follow the rim all the way around: on the Wide Rim it is visibly thicker all the way around. The difference is clearest near the date, where the gap between the bottom of the digits and the rim almost disappears. Check the P mint mark as well, since only Philadelphia coins are this variety.
Compare your coin with a known Narrow Rim 1979-P, ideally holding both side by side under the same light. A photo of both coins on a phone, enlarged on screen, also shows the difference well.
Be careful with weakly struck coins. A weak strike can leave the rim less sharply defined, which makes rim width harder to judge. In that case, judge mainly by how close the date sits to the rim. Heavy wear can also flatten the rim, so worn coins are harder to attribute.
Searching for a Wide Rim
Anthony dollars circulated mainly through transit systems, vending machines and stamp machines rather than in everyday change. Collectors find them in bank rolls of small dollars, in coin jars and in old collections. Sort the coins by date and mint first, then check every 1979-P with a loupe. Denver and San Francisco coins are not part of this variety.
Keep a known Narrow Rim coin as your reference while you search. After checking a few dozen coins, the wider rim becomes easy to recognize at a glance.
1979-S proof types
Proof collectors know a separate 1979 variety. During 1979 the S mint mark punch used on proof dies was changed. Type 1 proofs have a filled, blob-like S, while Type 2 proofs have a clear, well-defined S. The change affected all the coins in the 1979 proof set, including the Anthony dollar. The Type 2 is scarcer. 1981-S proofs also come in two types.
Grades and preservation
Wide Rim coins are found in circulation and in rolls. Uncirculated examples with full luster and few marks are preferred. Anthony dollars often have bag marks on the portrait and in the large open fields, so clean coins stand out. Look also at the eagle on the reverse, which is a high point and shows wear early.
Store any find in an inert holder. Copper-nickel coins tone slowly, but contact marks lower the grade.
Authentication
PCGS and NGC attribute the Wide Rim and label it Wide Rim or Near Date. Request the variety when you submit, or the coin may be graded as an ordinary 1979-P.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have a 1979-P Wide Rim Susan B. Anthony Dollar?
On the Wide Rim, the date nearly touches the rim. On the Narrow Rim, there is a clear gap between date and rim. If your coin passes these checks, have it authenticated by PCGS or NGC before buying or selling.
Is the 1979-P Wide Rim Susan B. Anthony Dollar valuable?
Genuine examples sell for a premium over regular coins of the same date. The amount depends on how strong the variety is, the coin's condition and whether it is certified. Compare recent sold auction results for certified coins in the same grade.
What is a design variety?
Early in 1979 the obverse of the Susan B.
Is the 1979-P Wide Rim the same as the Near Date?
Yes. Wide Rim and Near Date are two names for the same variety, because the wider rim brings it close to the date.
Why was the Susan B. Anthony dollar unpopular?
Because it was close in size and color to the quarter, which led to people confusing the two.
Were 1981 Susan B. Anthony dollars released for circulation?
No. 1981 coins were sold only in Mint sets and proof sets.