1909 VDB Penny, Fake Or Real?

scstrawn, what exactly does that mean? never mind. I just realized that you referring to the two pics from PCGS.

AS others have stated, The diagnostic for detecting fakes is only true for the San Francisco mint 1909 S VDB.
In fact, the very explanation of said diagnostic is that the S is added and the coin is really a Philly mint coin. So finding the initials in the "counterfeit" way is actually expected on a P coin.

It is not true that all VDBs are the same. There are many variations of the VDB, particularly those used in Philadelphia. For example, Philadelphia minted some VDB coins with the second period close to the D, but the San Francisco mint never used such a configuration.

Does Crazyb0 have a new nick name? And a 09-S in circulated condition is gonna set you back around a hundred, the 09-S VDB is really gonna empty your pockets to the tune of around 800 for also a circulated cent - be prepared.

1909 VDB are just plain common up to and including MS 65 RB.

They were saved by the zillions.

It costs no more than the $10 you mentioned for an uncleaned example.

My first search for pennies in over 50 years, I went to the bank and asked for 20 rolls of pennies. I got this, a 1907 and a 1906 Indian Head cent and the rest were wheat pennies from hell!

Some obverse rim damage. That would drop the value. I'd wait till you can get a lot nice one, unless you have money to burn.

This.

Reductions for the 1909 Lincoln Cent were made both by the mint and by Medallic Art Company, in New York. The Philadelphia Mint had a Janvier machine from 1906 or 1907 on, but Chief Engraver Charles Barber didn't like it and refused to use it. With Barber's permission, Brenner had the obverse reductions made by the Weil brothers at Medallic Art. This happened because Barber's initial obverse hub made Lincoln's neck too shallow and because the decision had been made to add the motto to the obverse.

The original reverse was reduced at the mint, likely on the older Hill pantograph, which Barber preferred. Three problems existed with the first reverse design: (1) prominence of the "V.D.B", (2) the relief was too high, coins didn't stack properly, and many coins didn't fit into one cent vending machines because of the thickness, and (3)the "N" in "UNITED" was shallow and contained partially filled-in angles. (This is reverse design RDV-001 on Variety Vista.) A second reverse galvano produced a new master hub with lower relief and a deeper cut "N." (This is reverse design RDV-002 on Variety Vista.) The second reverse design may also have been made at Medallic Art Company. The third reverse design happened a few weeks into production, when Barber ordered Brenner's initials removed and also ordered a lower reverse rim. This reverse hub was made at the mint, almost certainly on the Hill pantograph. (This is RDV-003 on Variety Vista.) A fourth reverse design appeared at almost the same time, and may have been from a second hub prepared by Medallic Art Company on its Janvier machine. (This is RDV-004 on Variety Vista.) This is the workhorse reverse that lasted until 1958.

Note that whether Medallic Art made any reverse hubs is debated, but the sharp design differences make the speculation plausible, if not likely.