Numismatic

1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent AU

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The 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent stands as one of the most famous issues in American numismatics. Minted in San Francisco during the inaugural year of the Lincoln penny series, this copper coin carries a remarkably low mintage of just 484,000 pieces. Its creation marked a significant departure in United States coinage, celebrating the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth with a portrait that remains iconic to this day. On the obverse, a detailed bust of Abraham Lincoln faces right, accompanied by the inscriptions LIBERTY and the date 1909, with the small S mint mark beneath the date. Above the president's likeness, the guiding motto IN GOD WE TRUST is clearly visible. This side of the coin established a new artistic standard for circulating pocket change. The reverse design is framed by two stylized ears of wheat curving along the borders, enclosing the denomination ONE CENT and the country of origin, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. At the very bottom edge of the reverse, the tiny initials V.D.B. commemorate the designer, Victor David Brenner. This specific placement of the designer's initials became a major point of interest and remains a defining feature for anyone exploring early twentieth-century coinage.