The 1909 V.D.B. Lincoln Cent marks the first year of the iconic Lincoln wheat penny design. The initials V.D.B. stand for the coin's designer, Victor David Brenner. Shortly after production began, public outcry over the prominent placement of his initials led the U.S. Mint to halt production and remove them, creating two distinct varieties: the widely struck Philadelphia issue and the holy grail key date from San Francisco.
The value of a 1909 V.D.B. cent depends almost entirely on whether or not it has an "S" mint mark on the front (obverse) directly below the date:
| Variety | Mint Mark | Mintage | Collector Status / Value |
| 1909 V.D.B. | Philadelphia (No mint mark) | 27,995,000 | Common — Accessible first-year issue |
| 1909-S V.D.B. | San Francisco ("S" under date) | 484,000 | Key Date — The holy grail of Lincoln cents |
| Attribute | Specification |
| Issuer | United States Mint |
| Designer | Victor David Brenner |
| Denomination | 1 Cent ($0.01 USD) |
| Year | 1909 |
| Composition | 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc (Bronze) |
| Weight | 3.11 g |
| Diameter | 19.00 mm |