My 6-Month Odyssey With the 1909-S Lincoln Cent Dies: How I Avoided Costly Mistakes and Mastered Mint Mark Variations

The Coin Collector’s Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything

Let me take you back to the moment that rewired my brain as a collector. When I first held what I believed was a genuine 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent, I didn’t realize I was holding a ticket to a six-month obsession. Little did I know this coin would drag me through mint mark mazes, die identification marathons, and a crash course in spotting fakes that would make a Secret Service agent proud.

What started as a simple attribution turned into my personal numismatic odyssey – one filled with more plot twists than a detective novel. Coffee-stained reference sheets, heated forum debates, and one heart-stopping counterfeit discovery later, I’m here to share what the grading manuals don’t tell you.

The Die Identification Challenge That Broke Me

Textbooks make it sound so simple: “There are six obverse dies for the 1909-S Lincoln Cent.” What they don’t show you is how those tiny mint marks will haunt your dreams. I spent weeks squinting at coins until my eyes watered, trying to decode the secrets of those elusive “S” placements.

The Six Obverse Dies That Tested My Sanity

After 72 hours under magnification (and three eyeglass prescriptions later), here’s what I wish someone had told me:

• Die 1: That “S” isn’t just tilted – it’s practically sledding down the date
• Die 2: Played mind games with me – high right placement that looked different every time I blinked
• Die 3: The hermit of the group – farthest right and only for non-VDB coins
• Die 4: The subtle charmer with its medium-high right tilt
• Die 5: The “SHY S” that hides near the rim like it’s avoiding conversation
• Die 6: The elusive “RUNNER S” that made me question my microscope’s alignment

Pro tip: Laminating those ANCO reference sheets was my best $5 investment – though I’ll never get that coffee smell out of my workspace.

My VDB Revelation Moment

The puzzle finally clicked when I realized Dies 1, 2, 4, and 5 pulled double duty on both VDB and non-VDB coins. Suddenly, those “familiar strangers” in my collection made perfect sense. Discovering that Dies 3 and 6 were non-VDB exclusives became the key to my first reliable attribution system.

The RPM Debates That Cost Me Sleep (And Money)

Just when I thought I had mint marks figured out, the repunched mint mark (RPM) rabbit hole nearly swallowed me whole. That $475 lesson about Die ② still stings when I see auction listings.

My Costly Die ② Mistake

I learned the hard way that mint marks were punched in Philadelphia before dies shipped west. When I excitedly bought what I thought was a rare RPM#1 variant, a seasoned collector dropped this truth bomb:

“MM’s were punched in the die at Philly. Used dies didn’t go back East for repunching.”

That single comment saved me from future financial heartbreak – and taught me to triple-check my RPM theories.

The RPM Toolkit That Saved My Sanity

Through trial and terrifying error, I assembled my must-have verification kit:

• CopperCoins.com RPM database open in perpetuity
• USB microscope permanently set to 40x
• Side-by-side date/mint mark positioning charts
• A spreadsheet tracking die deterioration patterns

The Counterfeit That Fooled PCGS – And Me

Nothing prepares you for the sickening moment you realize your crown jewel is fake. My “PCGS-certified” 1909-S VDB taught me brutal lessons no textbook could.

Three Red Flags I Now Live By

That counterfeit mimicked Die ② beautifully but betrayed itself through:

• Micro-tool marks around the mint mark (visible only at 60x)
• Wrong metal flow near Lincoln’s cheek – like a fingerprint in wrong ink
• A weight difference thinner than a hair’s width (0.13g)

Later discovered these often come from altered 1916-S cents – explaining why they frequently surface in mid-grade conditions.

How Bert Harsche Became My Ghost Mentor

My saving grace arrived in battered blue binding – Bert Harsche’s “Detecting Altered Coins.” His razor-sharp analysis of 1909-S varieties became my nightly reading. When I tried writing to thank him, I learned he’d passed – making my dog-eared fifth edition with its coffee rings suddenly priceless.

The Long-Game Collecting Strategy That Finally Worked

After six months and enough mistakes to fill a regret jar, I crafted a battle-tested approach to 1909-S collecting.

My 4-Pillar Authentication System

1. Provenance Tracking: Each coin gets a “biography” tracing its journey
2. Microscopic Fingerprinting: Digital maps capturing unique die quirks
3. Metal Composition Testing: Portable XRF for peace of mind
4. Community Verification: Monthly video calls with eagle-eyed collectors

The “Far Out S” Project That Rewired My Brain

Die ⑥’s extreme positioning sparked my quixotic quest for 1909-1915 cents with the most rightward “S” mint marks. This decade-long project taught me more about mint practices than any single coin – though 1913’s ghost still haunts me!

Five Hard-Won Lessons From My Lincoln Cent Odyssey

If I could time-travel to my rookie self, I’d hand them these survival tips:

1. Good tools beat good intentions – buy magnification before coins
2. Fakes evolve faster than references – stay hungry for new knowledge
3. The collector community is gold – but trust needs verification
4. Deep projects teach more than trophy hunts – build knowledge systems
5. The real treasure? The chase itself – savor every “aha” moment

As I continue hunting that mythical 1913 “Far Out S,” I carry these lessons like lucky pennies. The 1909-S Lincoln Cent taught me that in collecting, the brightest gold isn’t in the metal – it’s in the wisdom earned coin by coin.

Related Resources

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