1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent VG-8 NGC

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In 1909, the United States introduced a new design for its one-cent coin, featuring the profile of Abraham Lincoln. Among the earliest issues of this series, a particularly famous variety emerged from the San Francisco Mint. This specific copper coin is notable for carrying both the San Francisco "S" mint mark on the obverse and the designer's initials, V.D.B., on the reverse. With a remarkably low mintage of just 484,000 pieces, this issue stands as one of the most famous rarities in American numismatics. The obverse displays the portrait of Lincoln accompanied by the inscriptions "LIBERTY" and the date "1909". On the reverse, the words "ONE CENT" and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" are framed by two wheat stalks. This particular specimen has been certified in Very Good 8 (VG-8) condition with a brown designation. It represents a fascinating moment in early twentieth-century coining, capturing a brief window of production before the initials were removed from the design.