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1909 VDB Penny Value, Errors, and Varieties

Published: January 22, 2024

The 1909 VDB Lincoln penny is one of the most popular American coins to collect. Depending on who you ask, it might even be #1 on the list on the greatest U.S. coins of all-time.

1909 VDB penny graded MS-68 RD (PCGS)

The VDB Penny Controversy: Why It's So Collectible

The nickname "VDB" comes from the designer of the coin, Victor D. Brenner. His initials "V.D.B." are found at the bottom rim of the coin's reverse (see image below). There was a considerable amount of public outcry against the inclusion of the initials, however. Partway through production of 1909 pennies, the U.S. Mint decided to remove these three small letters from the design. Thus, some 1909 cents are not VDB cents.

The uproar surrounding Brenner's initials can be traced to two higher-ups at the mint: Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber and Treasury Secretary Franklin MacVeagh. Both reportedly opposed the use of the initials.

1909-S VDB Lincoln Wheat cent. Note the initials of Victor David Brenner.

This controversy had an ironic impact on the 1909 VDB penny. The issue was well-publicized and helped fuel the coin's fame, yet it also alerted coin collectors to the fact the VDB cents would have a very limited production. The coins immediately became sought-after collectibles from the very start. In 1918, Brenner's initials were restored to the coin, but they were moved to the obverse.

1909 VDB Lincoln Penny Prices

MINT STATE GRADES

BROWN

Grade	Price
MS-60 BN	$30
MS-61 BN	$32
MS-62 BN	$37
MS-63 BN	$55
MS-64 BN	$75
MS-65 BN	$110
MS-66 BN	$185

RED-BROWN

Grade	Price
MS-60 RB	$30
MS-61 RB	$34
MS-62 RB	$40
MS-63 RB	$60
MS-64 RB	$90
MS-65 RB	$130
MS-66 RB	$275
MS-67 RB	$950

RED

Grade	Price
MS-60 RD	$35
MS-61 RD	$40
MS-62 RD	$48
MS-63 RD	$70
MS-64 RD	$115
MS-65 RD	$250
MS-66 RD	$525
MS-67 RD	$1,400
MS-68 RD	$58,000

DID YOU KNOW?
Coins are graded on a 70-point scale, where 1 is so worn as to be almost unidentifiable, and 70 is perfect, with no damage or blemishes visible even under magnification.

RD, RB, BN: What Do They Mean?

Lincoln Cents are not only graded by condition but also by how much of their original color remains. There are three classifications: Brown (BN), Red-Brown (RB), and Red (RD).

1969 Lincoln Cents graded BN, RB, and RD (PCGS)

These definitions are more subjective than the physical grades laid out in the 1–70 coin grading scale.

Circulated cents and uncirculated ones exposed to air develop a brown, sometimes chocolatey color. All things being equal, cents graded BN are far less desirable to collectors than RB or RD coins.

Red-brown cents have a good portion of their original luster remaining. The exact amount of red remaining for a coin to be considered RB can differ among grading services. Some collectors find that certain RB cents can have more eye appeal than a “better” RD coin of the same condition grade.

Red coins have almost all their original luster present. For older cents, this is usually only possible for new coins kept in rolls or airtight containers or from unopened Mint Sets.

Proof 1909 VDB Lincoln Penny

Proof coins are made from specially prepared dies and deeply struck one at a time. These coins are meant to be sold to collectors, not circulate. There were only 11,94 Proof 1909 VDB Lincoln pennies struck.

Finest Known 1909 VDB Lincoln Cents and Auction Records

The finest-known examples of the 1909 VDB Lincoln cent are graded MS-68 RD. Five of them have been graded by PCGS and two at NGC.

The record auction price paid for a 1909 VDB Lincoln cent was $56,400 for an MS-68 RD at a 2021 Heritage auction. Recorded auction records may or may not reflect the highest price ever paid for a coin since person-to-person private sales are not recorded.

1909 VDB Lincoln Cent Varieties

Variety coins have had something happen to the die before the coin is struck. (Anything that happens to the penny after they are ejected from the coining press is referred to as “post-mint damage.”)

Common mint Varieties include Doubled Die on Reverse (DDR), Doubled Die on Obverse (DDO), and Repunched Mint Mark (RPM).

The only major 1909 VDB Lincoln penny variety is the 1909 VDB DDO. Prices range from $70 for VF-20 BN to $14,000 in MS-67 RD. The finest known 1909 VDB DDO is graded 67+ at PCGS with a price estimate of $47,500.

1909 VDB DDO PENNY PRICES

MINT STATE GRADES

BROWN

Grade	Price
MS-60 BN	$145
MS-61 BN	$150
MS-62 BN	$180
MS-63 BN	$250
MS-64 BN	$300
MS-65 BN	$750

RED-BROWN

Grade	Price
MS-60 RB	$150
MS-61 RB	$165
MS-62 RB	$190
MS-63 RB	$250
MS-64 RB	$300
MS-65 RB	$775
MS-66 RB	$2,000

RED

Grade	Price
MS-60 RD	$160
MS-61 RD	$175
MS-62 RD	$200
MS-63 RD	$325
MS-64 RD	$425
MS-65 RD	$1,250
MS-66 RD	$3,150
MS-67 RD	$14,000

Error Coins

Error coins result from a mechanical malfunction of the coin press or a defect or mistake in the coin blank itself. (Anything that happens to them after they are ejected from the coining press is referred to as “post-mint damage.”)

Common error coins are:

Cuds, where a piece of the die on the rim cracks and breaks off, letting the metal flow through to fill the gap.

Wrong Planchet errors, where the wrong coin blank is fed through the press. One example is a penny struck on a dime press. These errors can sometimes be worth far more than a variety coin.

Off-center strikes, where the coin blank is not completely fed into the press before it is stamped. Some off-center strikes can have deformed coin blanks and just a small portion of the coin design present. These drastic errors are popular and can be worth substantial money to the right collector.

Double Strikes, where the coin was not fully ejected from the coin press before the next strike. Double Strikes are the most attractive coin error and command prices to match.

Read more about Lincoln cents and how much they are worth:

1909-S VDB Penny Values, Varieties, and Rarities

What Are Pennies Made Of?

10 Most Valuable Pennies: Are These in Your Pocket Change?

1944 Lincoln Wheat Penny Value Guide

1969 Lincoln Penny Values, Errors, and Rarities

2009 Lincoln Penny Bicentennial Cents: Value, Errors, and Designs

What Are The Different Penny Errors and How Much Are They Worth?

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