1909 S VDB, Thinking About Upgrading.

It is very close to die #3, but I used a photo editor and did an overlay, and the subject coin's mint mark is about the same distance below the date, but more to the right up under the zero.

Even so, if the reverse is wrong (counterfeit/altered), the obverse becomes a moot point.

jrwild,
You were wise to check with the experts here and any doubts from these guys should be enough for you to walk away from this one.

The only additional wisdom I have is; you're not going to 'save' any money buying this coin raw. The risk/reward is not in your favor. This is coming from someone who is not a fan of grading services but sees the necessity in some circumstances. Certainly a 1909svbd cent and and a 1916d mercury being notable examples.