Let's try this again. 1909 VDB Cent.

Shortly after making the mistake of buying a 1909 VDB cent based off a deceptive "stock photo", I managed to find and acquire a replacement specimen. I like it. It's got nice color and mint luster and I think it's honest. Would this one would rate "mint state", do you think?

Be sure to check out the video below showing the play of light off the surfaces.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CU Lincoln Cent, Wreath Reverse (19.0mm, 3.15g, 6h)
Dated 1909. Philadelphia mint
Obverse: Bust of President Abraham Lincoln right, IN GOD WE TRUST above, LIBERTY to left, date to right
Reverse: ONE CENT / UNITED STATES OF AMERICA flanked by two wheat stalks; E·PLURIBUS·UNUM above, V.D.B. (engraver's initials) along bottom edge.
Mintage: 27,995,000
Rich orange-red color with flashy mint luster.​

In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt expressed an interest in improving the artistic quality of US coinage, including the cent, which still utilized the Indian Head design introduced in 1859. The year 1909 would mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, and it was decided that the new cent should honor that revered former President. It was designed by sculptor Victor David Brenner, approved by President Taft, and released to the public on August 2, 1909.
The new design, which was the first in US history to feature the portrait of an actual historical person, proved wildly popular, with long lines forming outside Treasury facilities as people sought to obtain the new coins. A brief controversy arose over the placement of the designer's initials "VDB" on the reverse, and they were quickly removed - but not before nearly 28 million "VDB" cents had already been minted in Philadelphia. However, at the San Francisco mint, only 484,000 VDB cents were minted before the change, making the 1909-S VDB cent one of the most sought-after of all US coins.

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I love seeing the ghost of Lincoln on the reverse of a lustrous beauty.
I am in the AU+ camp from back in the day. Thats a nice one IMO!

 

Looks like it's "spanking brand new!". I also have one but less than Mint State.
Great Lincoln ghost on reverse. What's that called @Pickin and Grinin ? I forget. A die clash? I couldn't find one on the Mad die clash website.

 

That's called indirect die transfer, it happens as the dies soften. Paired obverse and reverse dies begin to take on the opposing die face's designs and traits.

 

Okay, I sort of understand now. Like this.... Progressive Indirect Design Transfer

 

Beautiful coin @The Meat man. From the photos I would have to say she had a beautiful ghost of Lincoln on the reverse. It’s the result of an indirect die transfer. Photos can be hard to grade a coin but I would have to say she’s a high AU or a low MS.

 

Just remember that ghosting is not a clash.

 

I don't understand why people are saying AU on this coin. I see no trace of wear at all. I see no flattening on any high points, I don't even see discoloring on the high points. I see no interruptions in the luster in the field.

Anyone calling this AU is wrong.

I'd easily call this MS-63. Some dings and spots limit it, but it may even be 64 in hand.

 

Very nice Lincoln, it's nicer than AU, I'm at 63 also.

 

Thanks! "Ghost of Lincoln" is new to me - but I see what you are talking about - that's cool! I also learned not long ago that worn dies impart more luster than fresh ones.

 

Thanks! Nice coin.

 

Thanks for your thoughts! I admit I also didn't think there was really any wear, but I don't consider myself experienced enough to make a judgement like that.

 

Thank you both!

 

I'm at MS-63/64. It looks red to me, but I could see it being put in a red brown holder.

 

Disagree. There is flattening on the ear, cheek and bowtie. AU58/+…IMO.

 

I am going to have to disagree. Although I think it fits into the slider category, likely a 62/63. There are signs on the obverse of circ.
Above the ear and across the temple. high point of the cheek and jawbone, also light circulation, parallel marks across the shoulder and lapel. Still a wonderful coin. Am I being to hard on the coin, maybe. The AU+ was my opinion of many on here unwilling to call a coin MS. And before the top TPG's started calling beautiful AU58 coins MS.

 

I'm no expert, but if I were buying it, I'd accept MS-63 as accurate.

 

I went back and studied the video. Based on the way the light plays over those "flattening" areas, I'm inclined to think they're just contact marks, not actual wear.

 

I'm no expert, but I see the flatness above the ear and on the cheekbone as less than fully struck. For it to be wear, I'd expect to see the same on the reverse wheat kernels but there is none. I'm also MS63, looks RD to my eye.