MOST VALUABLE
$7,000 – $8,000+
A wrong planchet error occurs when a dime die strikes a blank intended for a different denomination — in the most famous cases, a one-cent copper planchet. The 1-cent planchet is smaller (19.05 mm vs 17.9 mm for a dime) and composed entirely of copper, giving the resulting coin a distinctly reddish-brown surface rather than the silvery clad appearance of a normal dime.
Visually, the coin appears noticeably smaller and lighter than a standard dime, with a reddish hue on both faces. The design will be fully struck since dime dies were used, but the planchet size means the design may appear slightly cramped or show a broader rim than normal. Weighing the coin reveals it is lighter than a standard dime's 2.27 grams.
Collectors prize wrong planchet errors because they represent one of the most dramatic and undeniable mint mistakes — two entirely different production streams intersecting in a single coin. Comparable wrong planchet Roosevelt dimes from nearby dates have fetched $7,000–$8,000 at certified auction, with a 1999-D dime on a cent planchet graded MS-64 by PCGS selling for approximately $7,500. Certification by PCGS or NGC is essential for this variety.
MOST FAMOUS
$12 – $2,650+
Full Bands refers to the complete, uninterrupted separation of the two horizontal twin bands crossing the torch on the reverse. Most 1979 dimes were struck under insufficient pressure or from deteriorated dies, leaving those bands merged, weak, or partially absent. Only a fraction of the 706+ million business strikes received enough pressure to show full, clean band separation.
To identify a Full Bands coin, examine the torch on the reverse under a 5× to 10× loupe. Look for two distinct horizontal bands crossing the torch at its center. Both must be fully formed with visible separation between them and from the adjacent torch design elements — no merging, no flat spots. The coin must also grade MS-60 or better; PCGS and NGC will not award FB to a circulated example.
The 1979-D is the primary focus for Full Bands collectors, because weakly struck examples are abundant, making sharply struck FB specimens genuine conditional rarities. A 1979-D MS-65 FB is valued at approximately $100, an MS-66 FB at around $525, and an MS-67 FB at approximately $2,650 per PCGS Price Guide — a staggering premium over the same coin without FB designation.
BEST KEPT SECRET
$20 – $150+
An off-center strike happens when the coin blank is not properly centered between the dies when the press fires. The resulting coin shows a portion of the design fully struck on one side and a blank, crescent-shaped void on the other. The degree of misalignment — expressed as a percentage — directly drives collector value: a minor 5–10% shift is far less desirable than a dramatic 40–60% off-center example.
Identification is straightforward: hold the coin horizontally and look for a blank arc of metal where the rim and design should be. On the struck side, the design appears complete or nearly complete. For maximum value, the date "1979" must still be visible within the struck portion. A heavily off-center coin where the date is missing is worth significantly less because authentication becomes problematic without a visible date.
Collector demand scales sharply with the degree of misalignment and the visibility of the date. A 10–20% off-center example brings $20–$40; a 40–60% off-center coin with the date visible fetches $50–$150 in certified, problem-free condition. PCGS auction records document a 5% off-center 1979 dime in AU grade selling for $65 and an undated 55% off-center MS-64 example reaching $145.
RAREST ERROR
$20 – $75
Post-1965 Roosevelt dimes are struck on a copper-nickel clad planchet — a pure copper core sandwiched between outer layers of 75% copper / 25% nickel alloy. A missing clad layer error occurs when a planchet arrives at the die with one of those outer layers absent, exposing the pure copper core on that face. The affected side appears distinctly reddish-brown rather than the expected silvery color, and the coin weighs slightly less than the standard 2.27 grams.
To identify the error, compare both faces under good lighting. The obverse or reverse (whichever lost its layer) will display a warm, reddish-brown copper tone across the entire face, while the opposite side appears normal. The design is fully struck — this is a planchet defect, not a striking error — so all details of Roosevelt's portrait and the torch reverse remain crisp. A coin scale will confirm the weight anomaly.
This error category is considered a genuine rarity because clad planchet bonding failures passed quality control infrequently. Values run $20–$75 depending on completeness of the missing layer and the degree of visual contrast between faces. Coins where only a partial area is missing (a partial clad layer) bring lower premiums than coins with a fully absent layer on an entire face. PCGS and NGC certification significantly increases buyer confidence and realized price for this variety.
NOTABLE FIND
$30 – $70
A broadstrike error occurs when the retaining collar — the device that holds the planchet in position and forms the reeded edge during striking — fails to engage or is absent. Without the collar's constraint, the metal flows outward during the strike, creating a coin that is wider and thinner than normal. The edge, lacking the collar to form the reeds, is smooth and plain rather than the standard reeded edge of a Roosevelt dime.
A broadstruck 1979 dime is immediately recognizable when compared to a normal example: the diameter is noticeably larger (metal having spread outward), the coin is thinner, and the edge is completely smooth. Importantly, the full Roosevelt design is present on both faces — unlike an off-center coin, a broadstrike retains the complete design because the dies were properly aligned; only the collar was missing. Reeds are entirely absent, which is the definitive diagnostic feature.
Broadstrikes are among the more accessible and frequently encountered major mint errors for the 1979 Roosevelt dime, which keeps their values in a moderate range compared to the wrong planchet or extreme off-center varieties. Well-struck examples with full design visibility and obvious edge abnormality bring $30–$70 in the current certified market, with collector demand driven primarily by the visual impact of the spreading and the smoothness of the edge. PCGS or NGC slabbing adds meaningful marketability.
