EPIC Coinstar Find - 3 1909 S VDBs!!!

[Mr. Silver Stash]

EPIC Coinstar Find - 3 1909 S VDB's!!!

I just found three 1909 S VDB's!!! I went to the grocery store after a day of bank hunting and skunk. I did get a 1963 quarter in the Penny Arcade right before I went grocery shopping.

I walk into the store and head toward the CoinStar machine - my normal routine. I was delighted to see a whole tray of coins waiting for me. They were mostly cruddy and foreign. I did look through quickly and noticed a 1943 P war nickel in there and thought - score! Well, I just took another minute to see what I had gotten before throwing it in the dump at the bank pile and BAAMMMMM!

I posted the VBD's in the order of discovery. I saw a 1935, a 1958 and then what looked like a 1909 with a mint mark. Looked on the back and saw VDB look back to the front with a little moisture on the finger to rub and see the "S"! I was super pumped, dancing around. I knew it was in rough same, but I'm looking up values, showing my wife. Awesome!

What else is in here - I ask myself. I push the coins around and see another wheat, a shinier one. Another 1909 S VDB!!! And in good shape!!! WHOAAAA Doing the super happy dance now!!!! 2 S VDB's no way!! Looking up values of this one - I can't believe it and my wife is slightly more amused at two huge finds.

I start going through the cruddy pile even more carefullly - and find the third one! It was in the worst shape. But I am so pumped!!!

I would appreciate your opinions on what to do with the nice one and the more dirty ones. Should I grade the nice one? Should I have the dirty ones cleaned? Is there some safe treatment I can give them at home? What should I do with these? Any ideas on what that dirty foreign next to the war nickel is?

I HAVE TO SAY - I AM DOUBTING THE AUTHENTICITY OF THESE COINS. MY ELATION IS TURNING TO DISAPPOINTMENT. I WILL HAVE THEM LOOKED AT PROFESSIONALLY AND UPDATE THIS THREAD.

HAPPY HUNTING! - Jonathan

 

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[DrCaufield]

Wow great find! That middle one is beautiful

 

[RamsesII]

Hoping they're real, dude. But I'd go through each coin with a loupe according to these:

Coin Fake Detection - 1909 S VDB Lincoln Cent | eBay
Counterfeit vs. Authentic 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cents
How to tell if your 1909 S. V.D.B is real | Coin Talk

 

[CRHlover]

Congrats on the amazing find! Looking forward to hearing all about these 3 beauties

 

[mAGma]

Kinda makes you wonder what went into the coin star

 

[GlenDronach]

I am definitely hoping for hte best for this find, but remember, fakes are often concealed by artificial wear/damage.

 

[baddbluff]

Hope they are real! If they are, that would the find of a lifetime!

The S on the nicer of the three doesn't look quite right. I hope I am wrong. Get them checked out by a dealer you trust. If they are indeed genuine, you might look into having them professionally restored by NCS (Numismatic Conservation Service).

 

[Coppercrazy]

Hope they are real! If they are, that would the find of a lifetime! The S on the nicer of the three doesn't look quite right. I hope I am wrong. Get them checked out by a dealer you trust. If they are indeed genuine, you might look into having them professionally restored by NCS (Numismatic Conservation Service).

I thought the exact same thing about the S mint mark.

 

[Coppercrazy]

I don't mind being the hope crusher. It's better to crush it now than later right, but the middle one is fake I went through Coin Talk's guide and it looks exactly like the fake one where he circles the spots in color and then explains it. The wheat ears are cut off and should be pointed. The "R" in "pluribus" points down instead of flowing directly to the right. I'm no expert, but based on the guide it definitely looks like a fake to me. I'm going to take a shot and assume the other ones are fake too. It's probably not worth sending them out.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

I'm hoping for the best, but all indicators point to these not being genuine. Best of luck though.

 

[hotrod]

If those are real , could you imagine how many the coinstar has!!

 

[PennyRoll]

Seems legit. Nice.

 

[Doubter in MD]

I'm not seeing what the naysayers are seeing. The nicest of the three looks like it may be real. It's hard to tell from the photos though. The other 2 are too toasty to even make a guess with the photos. I'd have them looked at by a reputable coin dealer or someone knowledgeable that you trust. Good luck! Please let us know what you find out.

 

[Coppercrazy]

I'm not seeing what the naysayers are seeing. The nicest of the three looks like it may be real. It's hard to tell from the photos though. The other 2 are too toasty to even make a guess with the photos. I'd have them looked at by a reputable coin dealer or someone knowledgeable that you trust. Good luck! Please let us know what you find out.

Really? I save the photo to my phone, zoomed in on every detail in between the fake, authentic, and his. It is exactly the same as the fake. I would bet everything I own that at least the one in the middle is fake. I mean come on what are the odds of finding 3 of the rarest wheat cents in a reject tray at the same time anyways?

 

[Doubter in MD]

Yes,. Really. I don't see what you believe you're seeing. The 9's appear to be right. The 1 appears to right. The S is somewhat questionable but not definitive. I think the wheat stalks look ok but it's hard to tell from the photo. The alignment of the "N" to the V.D.B. appears to be ok but sticking a straightedge on a blown up photo on my computer screen is hardly definitive.

As far as the chances of three very rare wheat cents ending up in a coinstar, I can't say. Especially since I don't know the circumstances behind it.

Anyway I think it's worth having it looked at. That's my opinion, FWIW.

 

[Coppercrazy]

Yes,. Really. I don't see what you believe you're seeing. The 9's appear to be right. The 1 appears to right. The S is somewhat questionable but not definitive. I think the wheat stalks look ok but it's hard to tell from the photo. The alignment of the "N" to the V.D.B. appears to be ok but sticking a straightedge on a blown up photo on my computer screen is hardly definitive. As far as the chances of three very rare wheat cents ending up in a coinstar, I can't say. Especially since I don't know the circumstances behind it. Anyway I think it's worth having it looked at. That's my opinion, FWIW.

The reverse of the fake one on coin talk is EXACTLY and I mean exactly the same as his.

 

[hokielegend]

Coppercrazy is right on. Also the "S" mintmark looks exactly liked the fake one posted on the third link. Also the dot following the VDB initials seems
offside- another hint of neing fake.

Regardless you hv some conversational pieces and thanks for the education.

 

[Coppercrazy]

I agree, thanks for the discussion. I now know a lbit more about counterfeit wheats.

 

[moff347]

Obviously a big let down that they are fake, but what a cool find. Definitely worth holding onto for the collection.

 

[mountainman 2]

I wouldn't automatically assume that the other two are counterfeits until it's confirmed. I wonder what the circumstances were that someone would put 3 counterfeit 1909S VDB cents through a coinstar machine and why they were rejected if the composition and weight are right. Maybe i'm misunderstanding what part of the machine the coins were found in. Was it the reject tray or the tray where you load the coins?