1909S VDB "added mintmark" photo.

coppercoins

Received this coin today from a forum member, thought I would share the photo here. The S appears to have been glued on, but the most telling sign is that it is the wrong style of mintmark for 1909. Microscopic tooling marks are evident around the mintmark as well. Enjoy.

JrGMan2004

Cool coppercoins! Thx for sharing!!!

JRocco

Thanks for the pic C.D.

coppercoins

Pictures of the whole coin, obverse and reverse. There is at least some chance that the damage at six o'clock on the reverse edge was purposeful, but I don't see why. The VDB initials are genuine, although damaged.

Blade

Interesting fake, but bummer for our fellow forum member. On something like this, if you aren't 100% sure and well schooled, definitely but a coin that has already been authenticated by a reputable 3rd party grading service.

mgoodm3

Nice photo. It's supposed to have vertical serifs, right?

K6AZ

Isn't that also an incorrect mintmark position? As far as the S goes, all to obvious, especially the bottom half of it. It's obvious to me it was added, and the bottom half just doesn't look like what a normal S for that date should look like.

KAJ1

Great pics !

MFH

The problem with these add-on mint marks, is that they were done very skillfully, and the novice collector could have been easily duped on this coin. At first glance, it looks okay, but unless you're an expert, or have a specialty book of Lincoln Cents with you when you're buying a coin like this, its pretty easy to be duped into buying it.

The key date coins are always subject to alteration, and its better to buy a certified coin (PCGS, NGC, ANACS or ICG )
if you are not familiar with the correct hall marks of a particular key date.

You're correct, the positioning of the "S" is off a bit, and the style of the "S" is wrong. I don't think the rim damage on the reverse was intentional. Circulation handling mishap.

Thanks for the pic's. They're excellent.

merz2

Chuck
These are excellent pics.I agree, most people shouldn't try to buy a "key date" coin unless it is certified.I remember going to an auction once.There was one of these there.I spotted it, but others did not.Back then I was affraid to say anything for fear of offending the auctioneer or patrons.You guys seem to forget the Mint Mark was added by hand, the position could have changed from one coin to the next.

291fifth

A very well done fake and another reason why this type of coin should only be bought when certified by one of the reliable grading/authentication services.

kenoshapete

I have a raw 1909S VDB. Are there any good online resources for me to check and make sure mine is authentic?

Thanks, Pete

mrdq

Link to the diagnostic page

hookooekoo

Wow! Great photos. I must say that it's a good looking fake (given that I don't know the diagnostics for an 09VDB-s).

I learned the diagnostics for the 16-D dime, but even then, I still bought certified.

Veep

Besides the sqaured off serifs, there should be a die chip (looks like a dot) on the inside of the top curve of the "s". It takes high magnification to see it though. I saw an s-vdb at a local auction once and my 10x glass wasn't strong enough to authenticate it. That motivated me to buy a 30x hand-held, illuminated magnifier. I'll be ready next time.

K6AZ

Merz, wasn't there only a few dies used for this date? I seem to recall one of the diagnostics being the mintmark location.

joeyuk

I remember a thread here whare a kid was in a coin store many years ago and the mintmark fell off a coin. The dealer chewed the kid out for ruining his coin.

Conder101

Yes mintmark placement is a semi-diagnostic. There were only four obverse dies that were used to strike SVDB's so if the mintmark placement doesn't match on of those four it is a fake. At least one of the four obverse dies was used to strike non-VDB cents as well making it a candidate for an added VDB.

K6AZ

OK, that's what I thought. I remember one coin being diagnosed a fake because the mintmark did not match any of the known locations. I guess that isn't really an issue on this fake, it is the field surrounding the mintmark at the type of S. Looking at it, with the great image, it is obvious as soon as see it.