1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent Value & Price Guide (2026)

Coins

Lost Dutchman Rare Coins, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The first Lincoln penny ever made - and it caused a scandal. In 1909, sculptor Victor David Brenner placed his initials "V.D.B." prominently on the reverse. The public erupted. "Too much self-promotion," they said. The Mint pulled the initials after just a few weeks of production at San Francisco. Only 484,000 were struck before the change. Today, those three tiny letters make this coin worth $860 to $2,500 - and far more in top grades.

Quick Value Summary


Item	1909-S VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent
Year	1909
Category	Coins - U.S. Cents
Composition	95% copper, 5% tin and zinc
Weight	3.11 grams
Diameter	19mm
Mint	San Francisco (S)
Mintage	484,000
Condition Range
Good (G-4)	~$860
Very Good (VG-8)	~$929
Fine (F-12)	~$1,064
Very Fine (VF-20)	~$1,187
Extremely Fine (EF-40)	~$1,345
About Uncirculated (AU-50)	~$1,599
Uncirculated (MS-60)	~$2,033
Uncirculated (MS-63)	~$2,498
Record Sale	$117,500 (MS-67 Red, Heritage Auctions)
Rarity	Rare

The Story

In 1909, the United States celebrated the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned a new one-cent coin bearing Lincoln's likeness - the first time a real person appeared on regular U.S. circulating coinage.

The designer was Victor David Brenner, a Lithuanian-born sculptor living in New York. Brenner created a portrait of Lincoln based on a photograph taken in 1864. The coin was beautiful. The public loved it.

There was just one problem. Brenner had placed his full initials - V.D.B. - in large, prominent letters at the bottom of the reverse, between the wheat stalks. Within days of the coin's release, newspapers erupted with criticism. The initials were "too conspicuous," they said. It looked like advertising. The Mint caved to public pressure and removed the initials after just a few weeks of production.

San Francisco had only produced 484,000 pennies before the change. Philadelphia had struck 27.9 million, and the VDB was removed from those dies too - but the San Francisco mintage was tiny by comparison. The 1909-S VDB became an instant key date, a coin every collector needed and few could find.

Brenner's initials eventually returned to the coin in 1918, placed in tiny letters on Lincoln's shoulder where they remain to this day. But the 1909-S VDB - with its bold, defiant initials on the reverse - became a legend.

How to Identify It

Key Features

Date: 1909, on the obverse below Lincoln's bust
Mint mark: Small "S" below the date on the obverse - this is the San Francisco mint mark
V.D.B.: Three letters at the bottom center of the reverse, between the two wheat stalks. They're relatively large and easy to spot with the naked eye.

What to Check

The "S" mint mark. Without it, you have a 1909 VDB Philadelphia penny - still collectible (worth $15–$25) but not the key date.
The "V.D.B." on the reverse. Without the initials, you have a 1909-S penny - worth $75–$150 in Good condition, but not the VDB variety.
You need BOTH - the S mint mark AND the V.D.B. initials - for the valuable coin.

Common Confusions

1909 VDB (no S): Philadelphia mint. Mintage of 27.9 million. Worth $15–$25 in circulated grades. Nice coin, but not rare.
1909-S (no VDB): San Francisco, but after the initials were removed. Mintage of 1.8 million. Worth $75–$150 in Good condition. Valuable, but not the key date.
Fake S mint marks: Some people add an "S" to a 1909 VDB Philadelphia penny. Under magnification, the added mint mark looks different - wrong font, wrong position, sometimes visible glue or solder.

Value by Condition

Grade	Description	Value
G-4 (Good)	Heavy wear, date and VDB readable	~$860
VG-8 (Very Good)	Major features visible, some detail	~$929
F-12 (Fine)	Moderate wear, wheat stalks show detail	~$1,064
VF-20 (Very Fine)	Light wear on high points	~$1,187
EF-40 (Extremely Fine)	Slight wear, most detail sharp	~$1,345
AU-50 (About Uncirculated)	Trace wear, some luster	~$1,599
MS-60 (Mint State)	No wear, may have bag marks	~$2,033
MS-63 (Choice)	Minimal marks, good eye appeal	~$2,498
MS-65 (Gem)	Strong luster, minimal imperfections	$8,000 – $15,000
MS-67 Red	Near-perfect, original red color	$50,000 – $117,500

Color matters in higher grades. Lincoln cents are graded with color designations: Brown (BN), Red-Brown (RB), and Red (RD). "Red" coins - those retaining most of their original copper color - command significant premiums. An MS-65 Red is worth several times more than an MS-65 Brown.

Prices are remarkably stable. The 1909-S VDB has been a key date for over a century. Demand never wavers. Even in down markets, this coin holds its value better than almost any other U.S. cent.

Authentication & Fakes

What to Watch For

Added mint marks. The most common fake: someone takes a genuine 1909 VDB Philadelphia penny (worth $15–$25) and adds an "S" mint mark. Under 10x magnification, look for:

Incorrect font or size on the S
The S sitting at the wrong depth (too shallow or raised differently than the surrounding design)
Signs of glue, solder, or tooling around the mint mark

Altered dates. Less common, but some fakes involve altering the date on other Lincoln cents to read 1909.

Outright counterfeits. Cast or die-struck fakes exist. Weight (3.11 grams) and diameter (19mm) should be correct. Details may appear mushy or poorly defined.

Professional Grading

For any 1909-S VDB, professional authentication is worth the investment. PCGS and NGC certification adds confidence for both buyer and seller. Grading fees ($30–$65) are trivial compared to the coin's value.

Where to Sell

Circulated Examples ($860 – $1,600)

Heritage Auctions - Strong for key-date Lincoln cents
eBay - Good results for certified examples with clear photos
Local coin shows - Multiple dealers competing gives you leverage

Uncirculated Examples ($2,000+)

Heritage Auctions - Best buyer pool for high-grade Lincoln cents
Stack's Bowers - Excellent for premium examples
Great Collections - Online-focused, strong for certified coins

Always get it graded first. A raw 1909-S VDB sells for significantly less than a PCGS or NGC slabbed example. The certification tells buyers it's genuine and establishes the grade - both critical for a coin this valuable.

Not sure about your coin's condition? Upload a photo to Curio Comp for a free AI estimate. Upload a photo →

Common Questions

How much is a 1909-S VDB penny worth?

In Good condition, about $860. In Fine condition, about $1,064. Uncirculated examples start around $2,033 and climb to $2,498 for MS-63. Top-grade examples (MS-67 Red) have sold for over $100,000.

How can I tell if my 1909-S VDB is real?

Check for three things: (1) the "S" mint mark below the date on the obverse, (2) "V.D.B." between the wheat stalks on the reverse, and (3) that the mint mark looks original - not added later. Professional authentication by PCGS or NGC is recommended for any example.

Why is the 1909-S VDB so valuable?

Low mintage (484,000) combined with massive collector demand. It's the first year of the Lincoln cent with the designer's initials - a coin with historical significance that every Lincoln cent collector wants. Demand has been strong for over 100 years.

What's the difference between a 1909 VDB and a 1909-S VDB?

The "S" mint mark. The 1909 VDB (no S) was struck at Philadelphia with a mintage of 27.9 million - worth $15–$25 in circulated grades. The 1909-S VDB was struck at San Francisco with a mintage of just 484,000 - worth $860+ in any condition.

Is the 1909-S VDB a good investment?

Historically, yes. It's one of the most stable coins in numismatics. Prices have steadily increased over decades, with occasional dips during broader market downturns. It's a blue-chip coin that serious collectors always want.