1909-S VDB Cent On Craigslist

Looks fake. Tell him to get it certified and then you will give him an 100 bucks plus what grey sheet bid is. I promise you he won't comply.

Check out the PCGS page on this subject.

http://www.pcgs.com/Articles/Detail/6062

I think it may be real. The VDB definitely looks correct. I can see the strongly slanted B in the image. There are 4 correct locations for the mint mark and this matches the one that sits the furthest below the 1909. There is not enough resolution for me to determine if the mint mark itself looks real, but it certainly isn't the more open fake one seen on the PCGS page.

The coloration of the coin looks weird, but that could be the photograph. Again, the look to the rest of the coin is something you really need to see in hand. It kind looks like someone made a half hearted attempt to clean it, decided the gunk/corrosion was too thick and stopped half way. For that reason alone I probably wouldn't buy it even if it is real. If I'm shelling out that kind of money I'd rather wait and save up a few hundred more dollars for one without the problems. If we were talking about $300 instead of $900 then I might be more willing to take a chance on it. If you do have a good local coin shop, he's willing to authenticate it, and the owner is fine with you buying a coin from someone is his own shop (it is kind of a conflict of interest) then do it.