Unfortunately, I don't think it's genuine. The S does not match what an S on an authentic 09-S VDB should look like. Probably an added mintmark.
https://www.pcgs.com/news/Counterfeit-Vs-Authentic-1909-s-Vdb-Lincoln-Cents checking... although 4 dif dies for the S makes if difficult to exactly identify on 110 year old coin.
S doesn't look right. Wrong shape wrong position. The coin doesn't even look like a 100 year old copper.
https://www.pcgs.com/news/Counterfeit-Vs-Authentic-1909-s-Vdb-Lincoln-Cents The serifs on these 4 look different than your S.
There is one fellow here with the tools at hand to put a pretty solid verification on this one... @justafarmer .... You around?
Well, find out if it is real or fake first. How many were minted? 484,000 How many were lost or destroyed? How many are already in collections? How many are left in circulation? Probably not 0 but not many. How many fakes have been produced? Millions. What are the odds you have a fake, compared to the chance of finding a real one in circulation? Very high against.
I just would like to express the inner pain I am feeling right now ...and I assume you all would be too.
Sorry, but it's not worth it, nor is there any need for an overlay (photo or tracing) with this one. Feel free to post additional shots if it'll make you feel better, but don't expect anything to change.
i guess my question is who would do this... obv not good enough to b real.., but this fun? sorry now, i'm pissed.. still going to to send it in
sorry but after multi years of man hours, that's vadiv but not what looking to hear... WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CHINESE GET IT RIGHT> My whole hobby is hogwash?
Of course! Since already upset, it only make sense to double down and ensure you're even more upset in the long run. Although he's not producing such counterfeits, there's a certain American who has kindly provided a blueprint for an enterprising individual in China to follow. Just give it a little more time....
There has been so much ID information on real matte proof cents, I have been watching the chinese ebays-likes for some to pop up.
Sorry - I get kinda busy this time of year. I'll go at this one with a slightly different approach using a dissected mapping tool looking at each 1909 S VDB obverse one at a time. Keep in mind the following tools can verify a counterfeit with a high level of assurance. As for verifying an authentic coin - this tool only provides the specific obverse die one should focus on when authenticating a coin. Following is the dissected tool I will employ. Following is the dissected map of the 1909 date absent of the mint marks overlaid onto the OP's coin. View the circle and cross hairs as a rifle scope. Aimed at the date if you look at where the cross hairs intersect the mint mark on the OP's coin - 1909-S VDB OBV-1 (RED) and 1909-S VDB OBV-2 (BLUE) are the only possible matches. Obverses 3 and 4 the mint mark is too far to the right of the cross hairs. Following are the dissected maps with the mint marks added for OBV-1 (RED) and OBV-2 (BLUE). As you can see the placement of the mint mark on the OP's coin does not match the placement of the mint mark for OBV-1 or OBV-2. It is my opinion with a high level of assurance that the OP's coin is fake.