Vintage Guide10 min read

1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny: The Most Famous Penny

484,000 minted. Pulled from production after 11 days because of a public outcry over designer Victor David Brenner's initials. PCGS MS-65 RD trades $5,500. Worth more than its weight in gold by 8,000x.

The Story: When Lincoln cents launched in 1909 replacing the Indian Head design, designer Brenner included his initials VDB at the bottom reverse. Critics complained the initials were too prominent. After 484,000 strikes at San Francisco (1909-S) and 27.9M at Philadelphia (1909-VDB), the mint removed them. The S-mint variety became the key date of the 100+ year Lincoln series.

Price Tiers

Grade	Comp	Notes
G-4 (Good)	$680	Entry-level collector tier
VF-30	$985	Modest demand
AU-58	$1,425	High-end circulated
MS-63 RB	$1,850	Red-Brown color, sweet spot
MS-65 RB	$3,200	Gem mint, Red-Brown
MS-65 RD	$5,500	Full Red — trophy tier
MS-67 RD	$48,000+	Pop ~12. Auction-only

RD vs RB vs BN (Color Designations)

Copper coins are graded with a color suffix:

RD (Red): >95% original mint red surface. Trophy tier — most valuable.
RB (Red-Brown): 5-95% red mixed with brown. Mid-tier pricing.
BN (Brown): <5% red, mostly brown. Lowest premium.

For 1909-S VDB, the RD designation roughly doubles the RB price at MS-65. For higher grades the multiplier widens further.

Counterfeit Watch

Added S mint mark: Real 1909 VDB cents with added "S" mint marks are the most common counterfeit. Authentication by mint-mark spacing and depth.
Re-engraved VDB: Removed VDB Lincolns with crudely re-engraved initials. Look for inconsistent letter forms.
Modern Chinese fakes: Increasingly sophisticated, but stand out on weight + composition tests. Real coins are 3.11g (95% copper).
Solution: Buy PCGS or NGC graded. The slab + cert lookup is the only reliable defense.