Greatest Hits Auction
Lot 5:
Description
Victor David Brenner (1971-1924) Abraham Lincoln Bronze Plaque
Bronze Abraham Lincoln relief plaque. Signed in the cast (Lower Right) "Copyright 1907 By V.D. Brenner".
Size: 9.5"H x 7.25"L
Model for the Lincoln Penny which went into production in 1909 the rare 1909 S VDB penny when released was the first US coin to have the image of a real person
The
Lincoln penny replaced the
Indian Head penny and was the first everyday U.S. coin to feature an actual person, but it was immediately met with controversy over the inclusion of the initials of the sculptor who designed the coin,
Victor David Brenner, on the reverse.US President
Theodore Roosevelt ordered the new design with US
President Abraham Lincoln‘s head to honor Lincoln as the savior of the
Union. The coins were to be released on the 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, February 12, 1909. The coin was delayed to add the words "In God We Trust" and eventually released on August 2, 1909.Within days of the coin’s release, it was discontinued (August 6, 1909) so that Brenner’s initials (VDB) could be removed from the
dies. The two mints charged with striking the Lincoln cent were the
Philadelphia Mint (no mint mark) and the San Francisco Mint (mint mark S). The Philadelphia Mint produced 27,995,000 VDB pennies, but the San Francisco Mint produced only 484,000, which made this variety the rarest of the series.
Condition: nice
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