The San Francisco Mint made a new cent coin in 1909 that was a tribute to Abraham Lincoln. It was designed by Victor David Brenner. When the plan was first announced, it seemed like a good idea.
But after the design was made, people didn’t like the tribute because they thought the designer’s initials were more noticeable than the image of the 16th president of the United States, which was against the point of the honor. Because of the debate, the series was quickly canceled, and records show that only 484 thousand units were offered.
Because only a few were made and the designer’s signature is controversial, along with the coin’s reddish-brown color, it has become a treasure for fans. It can now fetch more than $3000 at auction, which is 300 times its original value.
This is not just a guess; a coin from this series actually sold for $3,960 after having all of the above qualities and being kept in the best possible shape. Due to the small number of coins that were made, if one is found, it can still fetch a good amount of money if sold to the right collector or auction house, even if it’s not in perfect shape.
The one-cent Lincoln coin that can be worth up to 3 thousand dollars
There are a few things that people who want to find one of these coins need to keep in mind to make sure they get the right one. A little study can help you figure out if you are on the right track, but only experts can say for sure where the coin came from.
There is no doubt that the coin was made in San Francisco in 1909; it should have the “S” mintmark that shows that it was made there. There should be the initials V.D.B. on the back near the edge of the piece for it to be real, since it was created by Victor David Brenner. Later issues of the coin don’t have this particular detail, which makes it easy to tell which ones are from this mint.
The coin is also very strange because it has a strong red shine. In fact, Heritage Auctions says that the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) “designates this piece as red and brown, although it is approximately 90% red, with only a few touches of brown on each side.”
The PCGS also says that this is one of the smallest Lincoln cents ever made. It weighs 3.11 grams and is made of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc combination. They also give a full account of the coin, which can help people who want to buy it figure out how much it’s worth.
“On all real coins, the S mintmark is easy to see, and the serifs are lined up straight.” The B and D on the V.D.B. coins are at an angle, and the coins are clear and sharp.
Although the first coin wasn’t a huge hit, people liked the idea of a tribute to Lincoln, so the coin was made again. However, from 1909 to 1918, none of the new coins had the designer’s mark on them, which made people happy because they finally felt like the piece was a true tribute to Lincoln.
In February 1909, Frank A. Leach, who was director of the Mint, looked over the design and gave permission for Brenner’s initials, V.D.B., to be placed on the lower part of the reverse of the coin. However, he had to resign at the end of June that same year because of the controversy surrounding the design, ending his short tenure and leaving a disappointing legacy.