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1909-S VDB penny: how to spot a real one

3 min read · Updated Oct 5, 2026

Why it's famous

The Lincoln penny first came out on August 2, 1909, for the 100th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. Its designer, Victor David Brenner, put his initials, V.D.B., at the bottom of the back. Many people thought the initials were too big. Within days, the Treasury had them removed.

By then, Philadelphia had made nearly 28 million VDB pennies, so those are common 1909 V.D.B.. San Francisco had made only 484,000 1909-S V.D.B.. That small number made the 1909-S VDB the best-known key date in the Lincoln series. The initials came back in 1918, much smaller, on Lincoln's shoulder.

Check 1: the back

Turn the coin over. Look at the bottom edge, below the wheat stalks. Do you see the letters V.D.B.? If not, you may have a 1909-S without the initials 1909-S (no V.D.B.). It's scarce too, but a different coin.

Check 2: the S

Now look under the date on the front. No S means a Philadelphia coin.

If there is an S, look at its shape. According to NGC, San Francisco used the same S punch on its pennies from 1909 to 1916. A genuine S often shows a small raised dot inside the top curve, with straight rather than slanted serifs. NGC cautions that the dot can be weak: its absence alone does not establish a counterfeit. The 1909-S VDB was struck from four front dies, and the S sits in a slightly different spot on each one.

Check 3: the initials

On a genuine coin, the crossbar of the B and the base of the D are slightly angled. Initials that don't match this style are a warning sign. So is an S that looks different from the genuine shape described above.

The usual fakes

• An added S. Someone attaches an S to a common 1909 VDB from Philadelphia.
• Added initials. Someone adds V.D.B. to a 1909-S that never had them.
• Complete counterfeits. Some are made from dies copied from real coins, so they can even show the right S shape.

If you think you have one

• Don't clean it, and handle it only by the edges.
• Take clear photos of the date, the S and the initials.
• Have it authenticated by PCGS or NGC. Check submission costs and the service’s terms first. If buying an already certified example, verify its certification record and compare the coin and holder; a label alone is not sufficient.

For a genuine G-4 example, the catalogue estimate is $470. This is an estimate, not a purchase offer. That's exactly why fakes are common, and why the last step matters.

Penny Value is an Android app for now, so it isn't on the App Store. The values and checks on this page are free to use.Penny Value is an Android app. Open this page on your Android phone to check your own penny with a photo.

Coins in this guide

• 1909 V.D.B.

  Philadelphia · 28 million made

  Semi-key

  $5.50worn

  $23.00MS-60
• 1909-S V.D.B.

  San Francisco · 484,000 made

  Key date

  $750worn

  $2,000MS-60
• 1909-S (no V.D.B.)

  San Francisco · 1,825,000 made

  Key date

  $87.00worn

  $180MS-60

Related guides

• Lincoln penny key dates: the short list worth knowing
• Where to get a penny graded or sold — and when it's worth it

Sources

1. Wikipedia, “1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent” (accessed 2026-09-26)
2. Wikipedia, “Lincoln cent” (accessed 2026-09-26)
3. NGC, “Counterfeit Detection: Authenticating 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cents” (accessed 2026-10-05)
4. NGC, “Top 50 Most Commonly Counterfeited U.S. Coins” (accessed 2026-09-26)