1909-S 1c Indian MS RB

1909-S Cent Production: This is the lowest-mintage cent of the entire series. Its dies, produced in Philadelphia, were completely hubbed with the date incorporated. As a result, there are no positional variations for the date. The obverse dies always show slight weakness on the first feather tip. Collectors should rely on a full shield and bust point to confirm a full strike, as all 1909-S cents will show this feather-tip weakness. In fact, any 1909-S Mintmark example with full feather tips should be checked for an added mintmark. The mintmark is slightly larger than the one used for the new Lincoln design. Planchets tend to be a bit lighter than their Philadelphia Mint counterparts. They tend to be a strawgolden color.

Survivability: These coins were saved as the last of their issue. Non-collectors saved them as the last of the design, and numismatists pulled them quickly from circulation due to their known low mintage. The rarity is much lower than the low-mintage coins of earlier years because of this higher survival rate.

This date is very rare in low grades, so prices for grades below Very Fine tend to be very similar. Most examples grade Very Fine to About Uncirculated. In Mint State, the coins are fairly scarce. Full red examples are very diffcult to locate.

Collecting Challenges: Avoid problem pieces. Don’t expect to find any bargainpriced examples unless the coins are cleaned or have had some other indignity performed on them.

Collecting Circulated Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for circulated coins is EF-40. Overgrading is a problem because dealers believe there is not a big enough spread between grades to make their profit margin. I argue that the ease of selling these at present levels should equate to lower margins.

Collecting Mint State Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for Mint State coins is MS-64RB. The certified populations on this date are similar in most grades to many of the semi-common dates. This may be the case, but most 1909-S cents are submitted for certification and the more common dates of Indian Head cents are often not submitted. The 1909-S is a very popular cent and should be compared to another coin of similar mintage that is usually always submitted for certification, the 1909-S V.D.B. Lincoln cent. In MS-65RB and MS-65RD, the number of 1909-S V.D.B. coins graded by ANACS, NGC, and PCGS is ten times what is shown for the 1909-S Indian Head cent.

Counterfeits: Many counterfeits exist for this coin. Some are false-die counterfeits. These tend to have very sharp, flat edges, whereas the genuine 1909-S issue has a beveled edge. Most numerous are Philadelphia Mint 1909 cents with an added mintmark. These will usually have a very sharp first feather tip. Since all authentic 1909-S coins have a slight weakness on this point, a sharp feather tip might give away a suspicious offering. Certification and a written bill of sale from a reputable dealer will greatly decrease your chance of purchasing a counterfeit.

For more on counterfeit and altered cents, see appendix D.

No varieties are known for the 1909-S cent.