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The 1909 VDB penny – at three for a nickel!The 1909 VDB penny made its commercial debut during the afternoon and early evening of August 2, 1909. On that day, small boys -- pint-sized entrepreneurs with pockets full of shiny new pennies -- became impromptu street corner coin dealers.They offered three new Lincoln pennies for a five cent nickel. On that first day of the Lincoln penny, few would have noticed the tiny monogram that appeared near the lower edge of the coin’s reverse side. The initials VDB were those of Victor David Brenner, who designed the coin at the request of none other than President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. Roosevelt was of the opinion that United States coins were "artistically of atrocious hideousness." And he didn’t like them either. T.R. had resolved to reinvigorate the lackluster coinage by commissioning a major sculptor of the day, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, to redesign the ten and twenty dollar gold coins, and the penny. After completing the designs for the gold coins, Saint-Gaudens died of cancer. The penny was left for someone else. As it happened, a medallic plaque of the President had been produced commemorating his leadership in completing the Panama Canal. The sculptor, Victor D. Brenner, shared with Roosevelt his admiration of Abraham Lincoln. Brenner had also designed a plaque of Lincoln that impressed Roosevelt, so Brenner was tapped to design what became the Lincoln cent. The 1909 VDB penny was the result. But why do we call it the 1909 VDB penny?Why all the attention to the designer’s initials?Because there were those who were offended by the visibility of this designer’s initials. Strenuous objections were delivered from US Mint insiders – especially from those in-house designers who were not consulted about the new coin. The feeling was that Brenner was, after all, an immigrant of uncertain background. It was darkly suggested that Brenner had been arrested in his native Russia for counterfeiting. This was apparently true – though on further investigation it is likely he was framed there by unscrupulous bureaucrats who deceived Brenner into reproducing an important government seal that was later misused. Fortunately for the future designer of the 1909 VDB penny, he escaped to the United States. Nevertheless, the initials VDB were soon removed from the coin – before the end of its first year of production. And the 1909 S VDB?The 1909 S VDB penny is the one made at the San Francisco Mint. Because many fewer of the S VDB were struck, the coin is considered a rarity. Collectors have consistently paid more for the 1909 S VDB than for any other Lincoln penny, except for the 1943 copper cent.So there are four different 1909 pennies?No – there are six: Four Lincolns – the 1909 VDB penny (no mintmark, struck at the Philadelphia mint), the 1909 S VSB (San Francisco), plus coins without the designer initials from each mint. There are also two Indian Head cents of 1909, one each from Philadelphia and San Francisco.1909 VDB cent image courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries. What is the History of the Penny? Go to top of 1909 VDB Penny page. Go to Home page...
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