1979 Penny Value: How Much Is It Worth Today?

You’ll likely come across a 1979 Lincoln Penny if you look at your pocket change. This coin is pretty special because it was the first to feature a real person who just so happens to be the 16th President of the United States. Want to know more about how and why this happened? Well, in this coin review, we’ve got all the details for you, including all the varieties of the 1979 penny. Plus, we’ve got a handy 1979 penny value chart that you can check out.

1979 Penny Value Chart
Mint Mark	MS64	MS65	MS66	MS67	MS68
1979 No Mint Mark Penny Value	$0.75	$1.50	$14.85	$61	$1,250
1979 D Penny Value	$0.75	$1.50	$31.05	$188	–
	PR66	PR67	PR68	PR69	PR70
1979 S Proof Penny Value (Type 1)	$2.65	$5.40	$6.75	$8.10	$650
1979 S Proof Penny Value (Type 2)	$2.65	$5.40	$8.10	$12.15	$2,250

1979 No Mint Mark Penny Value

The 1979 penny has a denomination of $0.1 or 1 cent. First, in 1909, the United States Mint created the Lincoln penny to celebrate the 100th birthday of America’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. It holds a unique place in numismatic history, as it was the first ever circulating coin minted to feature an actual person, compared to previous designs.

The coin originally had a design of two wheat ears on its reverse side. However, in 1959, the design was changed with the Lincoln Memorial Building to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the penny and Lincoln’s 150th birthday, with Frank Gasparro creating this new reverse design. In the middle of the monument was also the image or silhouette of Lincoln, marking this coin to be yet again the first in history to have an image of the same person on both sides. You will also see the designer’s initials, FG, on the bottom right corner of the building.

A total of 6,018,515,000 of this 1979 penny variety was struck at the Philadelphia Mint but without a mint mark. The design lasted until 2008, so the 1979 Penny has the same design, which is also called Lincoln Memorial Penny. On the front, or obverse, you’ll see the familiar image of President Lincoln with the words “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “LIBERTY,” and “1979” surrounding him. The designer of this side was Victor D. Brenner.

Now, on the back, or reverse, you’ll see the Lincoln Memorial Building with the words “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “ONE CENT,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” around it. Also, the 1979 penny is made of 95% copper and 5% zinc, which is different from the pennies made today, mostly zinc with a copper coating. So if you’re a coin collector, you might find that interesting.

As for the 1979 No Mint Mark Penny value, well, it really depends on the condition it’s in. If it’s in mint state, like an MS68 Grade, which means it hasn’t been circulated and has no wear and tear, it could be worth a few cents more than $1,250. But if it’s in poor condition, it’s probably only worth one cent or $0.75 for an MS64 Grade penny.

1979 D Penny Value

Also has a face value of $0.1, the 1979 D Penny was minted in Denver, Colorado, with a mintage of 4,139,357,254. It has the mint mark “D” and is designated as MS, which stands for the mint state, indicating that it’s in an uncirculated condition.

The 1979 penny without a mint mark can have a value ranging from $0.20 to $188.00, depending on the coin’s condition or grade. This range of values corresponds to different coin grades, with MS67 being the highest and MS60 being the lowest. The coin’s grade is decided based on factors like how shiny it is, how well-preserved the surface is, how well it was struck, and how appealing it looks. So, the better the grade, the more the 1979 penny is worth in the market.

Although the value is considered less compared to the proof strike 1979 Penny, some may still be worth thousands. In fact, according to the Greysheet website, the two highest 1979 D Penny values were sold at $3,995 and $3,055 in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The coins had the same grade (MS67) and were sold at the Heritage Auction house.

1979 S Proof Penny Value (Type 1)

The 1979 S proof penny comes in two types: Type 1 and Type 2. The Type 1 features a filled S mintmark that appears blurry or blobby with a mintage of 3,127,781.

Both types of the 1979 S proof penny have a denomination of 1 cent and were minted in San Francisco. The 1979 penny of all varieties have a diameter of 19mm, 3.11 grams mass, and is made of 95% copper and 5% zinc. The Lincoln obverse and Memorial reverse were designed by Victor Brenner and Frank Gasparro. The obverse and reverse feature the inscriptions mentioned above but with the mint mark “S” on the obverse side.

In 2005, the highest 1979 S Proof Penny Type 1 was sold for a price of $3,450. This particular penny is part of a Registry Set and is of the highest quality with a grade of PR70 Deep Cameo by PCGS, which is the highest grade possible for proof coins. The coin features a partially filled S mintmark, which is a characteristic of the 1979 S Proof Type 1 coins.

1979 S Proof Penny Value (Type 2)

In contrast, the Type 2 penny is the more common of the two types and has a mintage of 3,677,175. It has a much clearer-looking S mintmark and is considered a rare variety. Experts estimate that only about 15% of all 1979 Lincoln proofs were made with the Type 2 mintmark. In addition to that, the Type 2 1979 Penny mintmark was used on both the 1980 and 1981 Type 1 proofs.

The 1979 S Proof Penny, both Type 1 and Type 2, have similar designations based on their appearance, and two of these are RD and DCAM. RD stands for “full red,” which is the most desirable designation. It is given to coins that still have most of their original red color (about 85 to 95 percent of their original red color, according to the NGC and American Numismatic Association. Another designation is “Cameo” (CAM), which is used for proof coins that show light to moderate frosting of the devices.

The highest 1979 S Proof Penny Type 2 sold was a PR70 Deep Cameo PCGS, sold thrice at Heritage Auctions. The first sale was in 2007 for $2,530. It is an exceptional and flawless example, meeting all standards of perfection. The copper-orange finishes are divided between highly reflective fields and precisely crafted devices covered in a thick layer of glittering frost. This particular item has been graded by PCGS as one of only 23 at this grade level.

The second sale was in 2010, and it sold for $2,760. The third and highest sale was in 2013, and it sold for $3,819.

1979 Penny Value Grading

When it comes to figuring out how much a coin is worth, experts look at the coin’s grade. Coin grading is a fancy way of saying that someone has looked at the coin and evaluated its appearance. Take, for example, the video about the 1979 penny value below. Basically, they’ll give the coin a score from 1 to 70. If a coin looks perfect, it’ll get the highest score. NGC and PCGS are respected companies that offer coin-grading services. Grading involves evaluating a coin’s color, luster, surface preservation, and overall appeal to determine its worth.

Rare 1979 Penny Error Lists

Similar to other coins, the 1979 penny also has some errors during production, making them more valuable in today’s market. You may want to watch the video below for additional information on the different types of 1979 penny errors and variations currently in circulation.

1. 1979 Penny Doubled Die Error

Some 1979 pennies have doubling that can make them worth $20 to $50, but not all doubling is valuable. In fact, most doubling is just a result of how the coin was minted, and it doesn’t make the coin more valuable.

If you’re interested in finding the valuable doubled dies, you’ll want to focus on certain areas of the coin’s front and back. That way, you’ll be more likely to find the ones that are actually worth something.

2. 1979 Penny Die Break Error

Most times, when coins are struck, the metal tool used to make the design can get damaged and start to crack. These cracks can then appear on the 1979 penny as bumps or lines. One type of crack is called the “BIE” variety found on the 1979 Lincoln Pennies, according to the US Coins Guide website. It looks like a short vertical line in the word “LIBERTY” (between the letters “B” and “E”) on its obverse side.

These 1979 Penny errors are common, but some collectors enjoy trying to find them. If you have a 1979 BIE penny in average condition, it might be worth about $5 to $10.

3. 1979 Penny Repunched Mint Mark Error

A 1979 penny also exhibits a repunched mintmark due to the U.S. Mint’s manual method of punching mintmarks into the dies during the late 1970s. This practice often led to minor inaccuracies such as slightly misaligned mintmarks D and S. To rectify these errors, mint workers attempted to repunch the mintmark, but the original punch was not always completely eliminated. These pennies can be worth $3 to $10, depending on how noticeable the mistake is.

4. 1979 Penny Off-center Error

You know, where the coin’s design isn’t centered properly, and there’s a crescent moon shape instead? Well, that’s what we call an off-center penny. Basically, when the penny was being made, it wasn’t placed in the right spot, so the design came out all off-center or crooked. The cool thing about these 1979 penny errors is that their value depends on how much the design is missing. The more off-center the 1979 penny design is, or a 40%, 60%, and 80% missing design, the more valuable it can be!

1979 Penny Value FAQs

Q1: How do I know if my 1979 penny is worth money?

If you’ve got a 1979 penny with a D mint mark or no mint mark at all, it’s just worth its face value (so, one cent). But there’s a chance that some of them might have an error that makes them more valuable.

Now, the 1979 S Penny is a whole different story. These ones were made in San Francisco, and there are two types of them. They can be worth more than just a penny depending on their condition. The cheapest you can get one for is 33 or 35 cents, but if it’s in really good condition, it could be worth anywhere from $650 to $2,250!

Q2: How much is 1979 D penny worth?

The value of a 1979 D penny depends on its condition or grade. An MS67-grade penny is the most valuable, with a retail value of around $188.00 and a wholesale value of around $145.00. However, these values are just estimates and can vary based on market demand and other factors. If the coin has been in circulation or has visible wear or damage, its value may be lower. An MS60 has a retail value of around $0.35 and a wholesale price of just $0.20.

Q3: What is a rare 1979 penny?

It’s none other than the two types of 1979 S Proof Penny. These coins were made especially for collectors, so you won’t find them in your everyday pocket change. In fact, only a little over 3 million of each type (Type 1 and Type 2) struck. That’s not a lot; most of them are probably already in someone else’s coin collection by now.