[Tip] Don't be fooled! 1909-S VDB

[simonm]

Hi all,

I think I'm going to do a little miniseries on how to spot a fake coin. I'm starting off with a commonly altered and faked cent, the 1909S VDB. There are a few ways to tell this fake. One of the easiest is:

1) mintmark type (first picture). On an authentic 1909S VDB, the serifs of the mintmark will be parallel to one another. You can see on the fake that they are slanted different directions.

2) Mintmark location. There were 4 dies that produced 1909S VDB cents, so the mintmark can be in one of four locations. (See picture)

3) On the reverse, (picture 3) the letter N in UNITED is "filled in" on an authentic specimen. On the fake it is not filled in.

There are also other ways, such as the angle of certain parts of the VDB, but my fake was so bad that the initials are almost indecipherable.

Hope this helps! I will be adding a few more tips on how to spot key date fakes later this week.

Sweet Simon

[ShyCent]

Excellent! Thank you.

[rlm's cents]

Here are a couple more pics. The first picture is IMO a better locator for the MM's. Then the "V. D . B." should look like I typed it. (VDB fake followed by real) The dot after the D is centered and not next to the D. If you look at the V, it is funneled (for the lack of a better word).

[coop]

Also the exture of the coin looks like it was cast from coarse sand....

[Stilllookin]

Thanks for the info on this. The cost of this coin is extreme as it is, but to pay that kind of money and get a fake is just wrong.

Ric

[centsible]

Thank you Simon and rim's cents.

[celartu]

I never tire of reading this part of the Forum, I always learn something new, thanks simonm and other good Members, as centavos de rim, often make use of Google translator, because I need to learn English well

[learningnumismatist]

Very informative. Thank you!

[liveandievarieties]

Nice thread Simon! Important for everyone to remember that the diagnostics mentioned above are definites- on ALL genuine pieces the MM must be correct style and in one of the 4 positions shown. Even if one is correct and the other is not- it's a no. Partly genuine isn't!

[CobraBD408]

Simonm, Very interesting! New to Lincoln cent collecting and I did not know any of this information!

Mike

[simonm]

Simonm, Very interesting! New to Lincoln cent collecting and I did not know any of this information!

Mike

Glad to help. Welcome to the forum.

[quartlow]

Glad to help. Welcome to the forum.

also doesn't the mm have a chip or dot in the upper loop of the s

[Maineman750]

also doesn't the mm have a chip or dot in the upper loop of the s

I believe I know what you're referring to....can see it here http://www.pcgs.com/News/Counterfeit...-Lincoln-Cents

[rlm's cents]

also doesn't the mm have a chip or dot in the upper loop of the s

Here is a picture showing it;
09-SVDB DIE CHIP.jpg

[quartlow]

so is the chip on the upper loop of the S on all four dies? i really just see it on two and three.