Hi guys, I have this 1909 VDB Wheat penny and see that the upper loop in the "B" in Liberty is smooth and filled over with metal. Would this be due to general wear or due to a small die chip that got worn down? If this is a die chip, is this rather uncommon for 1909 VDB cents?
It couldn't be due to grease because the center is formed by a metal post on the die. I'm assuming that whenever a post breaks off, it doesn't necessarily have to break off at the very bottom. If that is the case, a small portion of the recess would be visible.