1969 D Lincoln Cent That Looks Like 24kt Gold!

@Safetylady12, I agree that your coin is a beaut, but that attractive toning isn't going to materially affect its value. There are coins (mostly silver) for which attractive toning can increase the value (to some collectors anyway), but this one here is only worth one cent. It is fine to keep it though as it looks so nice.

Just to be sure...are you looking on the bottom of Lincoln's shoulder (on the obv of the coin)? See here for an example: http://www.PCGScoinfacts.com/Coin/Detail/2917

Someone else with more knowledge will have to weigh in if there is a variation with these initials missing. Otherwise, I'd probably just assume that this design element was filled with grease and not fully struck up. Perhaps you can take and post a close-up pic of this exact location on your coin?

Saftylady, that is a common occurance, it is due to the polishing of the die. Think how a die looks, all the details are reversed. There fore the small VDB actually sticks UP on the die face within the indention for the bust, right at the edge of it. A little bit of aggressive polishing at the edge to correct blemishes, that raised portion is removed. This is part of die "maintenance" , they last longer.

Here is a pic I took last night of a coin out of a BU roll of 1962Ps, this one has corroded, end of roll? It is in a VLDS state, the circles show areas of over-polishing:



This next one shows how the devices are stretched towards the outside, called die flow, is why dies in last stages need polishings.


Here's what a die looks like, bass-ackwards:

Ok yep. @crazyb0 got it right--die polishing not grease in the die.

It does have some nice toning.

It's a very common coin, especially in the circulated grades (your coin is EF grade). That said, I have a pretty impressive collection of coins I've found like this. Technically, worth one cent because almost nobody collects the Memorial series in circulated grades. Still, they are toners that caught my eye and I felt were worth collecting....because I like 'em!

Keep an eye open for high grade Memorial cents. They are surprisingly difficult to find without blemishes. Here's one from my collection: