The release of the Lincoln penny on August 2, 1909, marked a radical break from American tradition. Prior to 1909, U.S. coins exclusively featured abstract personifications of Liberty, as early leaders felt portraits resembled European monarchies. Theodore Roosevelt pushed for Lincoln’s likeness to celebrate the centennial year of the president’s February birth, though manufacturing the dies and striking millions of coins delayed the official public release until August.
On opening day, excited Americans lined up around banks to get the new cent, but the buzz quickly turned into controversy. Citizens and Mint officials noticed the tiny initials “V.D.B.” on the reverse side, identifying the designer, Victor David Brenner. Outrage erupted over what many saw as ostentatious and inappropriate advertising on federal currency. Within days, the Mint halted production to scrape the initials off, accidentally creating the “1909-S VDB” penny—one of the most famous and highly coveted collector’s items in numismatic history.
