1909-S V.D.B. Lincoln Cent
In 1909, the United States changed the design of the one-cent coin from the Indian Head to a design that commemorates the 100th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth. The coin was an instant success with the public.
However, Victor David Brenner placed his three initials on the reverse of the penny near the bottom. Previous designers only use their last initial, and mint designer Charles Barber took exception to this new trend. After the United States Mint facility at San Francisco produced 484,000 new Lincoln pennies, the initials on the reverse were removed. This change in the design created an instant scarcity.