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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;deefree, post: 2649179, member: 85263&quot;]As an active member of the Lincoln Cent Matte Proof Cartel, giving unsolicited information is of course, one of my major pastimes. When offered even the slightest opportunity to regurgitate my matte mania, I cannot resist spewing my proprietary proof knowledge in an impressive manner and quantity. So; to proceed:</p><p><br /></p><p>A poster here on my...oops, I mean this forum made some reference to a 2nd possible VDB proof die; maybe an obverse, a reverse or even complete die pair that could complicate this case.</p><p><br /></p><p>(Mighty Mouse Theme suddenly plays)</p><p><br /></p><p>Here I Come To Save The Day!!</p><p><br /></p><p>(With emphasis, and deep radio-quality baritone voice)</p><p><br /></p><p>ACT-U-AL-LY, we know only one die pair was used for the VDB proof. Actual Mint Records studied by Kevin Flynn, research by Albrecht, Breen and Carl Waltz Jr., along with super high quality imaging have definitively shown this to be undisputed truth. FUR-THER-RR, (voice still unbelievably mellifluous) the obverse die continued service with the 1909 non VDB proof issue. The exact same diagnostics are used to ID both the VDB obverse and the 1909 non VDB obverse. It needs to be noted that after a quantity of the 1909 non VDB coins were pressed, a 2nd obverse die was brought into service for the 1909 non VDB proofs. No more VDB proofs were made. In fact, they were disparaged, dismissed and dissed, diabolically damned and put in the corner.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse die for the VDB was retired when that issue stopped production and a new reverse die was used for the 1909 non VDB proof run.</p><p><br /></p><p>A further piece of controversy surrounds the actual number of VDB proofs that were made and released to the public. Kevin Flynn&#039;s study of the mint records indicated 1,194 VDB proofs were made. The number of surviving VDB coins however seems unusually low compared to the mintage number. Anecdotally it has been concluded that a large percentage of the VDB coins were not released and were destroyed, hidden or met some other fate that leaves them unaccounted for.</p><p><br /></p><p>For years, the number of minted VDB proofs was thought to be 420 coins. This number better matches proportionately with the surviving total, when compared to the other dates and their &#039;mintage to survival&#039; percentage. This remains a minor mystery in matte proof lore. </p><p><br /></p><p>The important point of all this comes down to the scarcity of Lincoln matte proofs, especially the VDB and also to a lesser extent, the 1916 and 1915 issues respectively. They actually seem underpriced when one considers their relative scarcity. The fact that they weren&#039;t intended for circulation has led to the happy fact that they are generally in an excellent state of preservation. Further, the paper the mint used to wrap them had high Sulphur content. In a significant number of cases, this led to the copper becoming colored, sometimes beautifully so. This toning is considered highly desirable when it is aesthetically attractive through multi-coloration and artistically distributed patterning.</p><p><br /></p><p>I recommend that collectors grab all their available cash, add their unavailable cash, max out their credit cards and mortgage the house, car and family pets and immediately get out there and buy, buy, buy!! Buy all the matte proofs you can find and hide them deep in your socks drawer. Not only will you be ecstatic at having done this, you too will become a member of the Lincoln Cent Matte Proof Cartel!</p><p><br /></p><p>Wow! What could be better?!! (Music fades........and.......out)[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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