1979 S Proof Penny

Notes: The coins listed above are proof Lincoln pennies. Nothing out of the ordinary to make a mental note of this year. The 1976 1c was minted at all 3 mints, Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. All proofs were issued at San Francisco. There are conditional rarities in the form of a lack of ms-68 red 1976 pennies, and back in 2016 one sold for more than $3,000 USD.

Key Points to Remember

1. Minted at P, D, S
2. Proofs minted in San Francisco
3. Limited high end MS-68 Red - one sold for $3K plus in 2016
4. Error are readily found.
5. Red is most coveted Color (RD)

Off Center Error $20-$220

When a planchet is struck off center this error occurs. These appear to be fairly common this year. The coins value appears to be just as tied to color and condition as too error itself.

Die Break Error $30-$120

When a broken or cracked die strikes a planchet it makes this error.

Lamination Errors $20-$120

Lamination errors appear to be selling for between $20-$120. Generally these occur when a defective planchet creates a surface imperfection. The upper layer can usually be seen flaking away or there can be a rough surface.

1976 MS-68 Record Sale $3,760

In 2016 on Aug 10th Heritage Auctions, auctioned off a 1976 MS-68 Red coin, one of just 2 known to exist at the time, and it sold for $3,760

Summary Video

Price Chart

Rates listed here refer to professionally graded and slabbed coins. If new to collecting the prices below might not make sense.

• Grade PR68 = $15-$25
• Grade PR69 = $21-$35

Is the list above a little overwhelming? If so, take 5 minutes to learn all about Coin Grading.

It's also important to note...Prices are subject to the same supply and demand laws as everything else. Coins sold at the same auction house 10x, would fetch drastically different bids each session. To raise your chances of receiving top dollar read How to Get the Most for your Coins.

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How much is a 1979 S Proof Penny worth?

In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around 50 cents, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $25 at auction. This price does not reference any standard coin grading scale. So when we say Average Circulated, we mean in a similar condition to other coins circulated in 1976, and mint state meaning it is certified MS+ by one of the top coin grading companies. *** [?].

What are your coins really worth?

Use the handy-dandy calculator below to find the real value of any lincoln penny in your collection.

Specs & Design

This coin has a total mass of 2.5 g, a diameter of 19.05 mm, and a thickness of 1.52 mm. It's edge is Smooth, and the coins are composed of 95% Copper Pre 1982, 97.5% Zinc, 2.5% Copper after 1982.

Designer: Victor D. Brenner (obv), Lyndall Bass (rev)

Front (Obverse): The obverse or front of this coin contains the bust of President Lincoln the 16th president of the United States. The words In God We Trust are engraved in an arching manner on the top most portion of this coin. The date is present along with the mint mark. If the mark is missing the coin was issued from the Philadelphia mint. With the exception of 2017 P, the only year to contain a P mint mark to honor the 225th anniversary of the United States Mint.

Back (Reverse): The reverse of this coin has been described as Lincoln Memorial design. Nice clean lines on the steps and buildings are important for a decent grade. The Lincoln Memorial replaced the reverse after the last Wheat Cent was issued in 1958.