1909-S VDB Fake or Authentic?

I have a 1909-S VDB Lincoln that I've discovered in my new stock. The holder that it was in said "1909-S, $1.00" (price it was bought for?). I flipped the coin over to the reverse and almost fell out of my chair when I saw the initials at the bottom. I haven't a clue when this coin was bought but the white square holder looks over a decade old. The $1 price is making me scratch my head, so I'll throw it out to the critics:

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

From the uniform texture throughout the coin?

 

It may be the way I see the photo's but the top of the wheat stalks appear to be rounded, instead of coming to a pretty sharp point and the "N" in "ONE" and in "CENT" looks wrong. The right hand part of the N should not be rounded on top, it should be flat.

 

The "N" in united doesn't look like the shallow version that would have been on the S V.D.B.

http://www.varietyvista.com/Lincoln%20Cent%20Wheat%20RDV%20Changes.htm

 

It looks counterfeit - the main/first thing that grabbed my attention was the shallow looking relief of the obverse. And that matches some other counterfeits I have seen images of.

 

ALthough I would love a larger image of the mintmark to be sure, it doesn't look like the block "S" on this issue. Larger photo please, maybe I am wrong.

Jim

 

Forget the "S" for a minute - look at the entire coin

 

Here's your close-up:

 

The mintmark, and the lack of detail on Lincolns Suit are enough to make me steer clear of this coin.

 

Fake ?

Doug the law in China says that no coin may be duplicated after the year 1949 . There is a young man who is doing a thriving business making fakes. He admits to his profession and says it is legal.
Looks like your advice to have old valuable coins checked by a TPG is very good advice.
I do not think China will stop at 1949 with all the valuable coins that have been minted in the last fifty years.

Pep

 

Definately the wrong S!

I'd Steer clear of it!

 

Mushy details, reverse looks pimply. In addition, wrong S mm.

 

Would make a great $20 filler coin though!

Does anybody here know Ira? I forgot his last name. He's always got some really awesome coins on eBay. Right now he has an awesome 1909 vdb MS66 on eBay as item 250524108224. He wouldn't happen to be on CT would he?