Victor David Brenner: Designer of the Lincoln Cent
June 12th marks the 149th birthday of Victor David Brenner, the designer of the longest running coin design in U.S. history: The Lincoln Cent. As the first widely circulated coin to bare a portrait of a U.S. president, this iconic coin has had an undeniable impact on American numismatic design.
Victor David Brenner was born in Lithuania and emigrated to the United States of America at 19 years of age. Upon moving to America, Brenner’s only work experience was that of gem and seal engraving. He leveraged this experience in order to learn the art of sculpting at the famous Cooper Union. This experience sparked a passion in Brenner, eventually inspiring him to travel to Paris to further his knowledge in sculpting. By obtaining numerous awards at the Paris Exposition of 1900, Brenner solidified his status as a renowned sculptor and medalist.
Upon moving back to the United States, Brenner had created several bas-reliefs of Abraham Lincoln. A bas-relief is a sculpture carved into a single block of material, where the raised elements are still attached to the background. While in New York City, President Theodore Roosevelt learned of Brenner and his sculptures. This inspired President Roosevelt to design a new Cent for the U.S. Mint that would be released in 1909 in order to commemorate the centennial of Lincoln’s birth.
It is said that the first design submitted to the mint by Brenner was signed “V.D. Brenner,” the same signature that he used on his bas-relief of Lincoln. Although it was common for French coin designers to include their full names on their projects, Mint Director, Frank A. Leach believed that the artist’s name appeared too prominently for the coin design. As a result, Brenner’s initials, “VDB,” were placed on the reverse of the coin between the wheat stocks.
The controversy with Brenner’s signature and initials didn’t end there, however. They continued into 1909 when the coin was officially released for circulation. An article published by the Washington Star upon the release of the coin questioned the morality of the artist’s initials, likening it to an advertisement. This opinion gained traction with the public, eventually causing the Mint to remove the initials from the coin altogether. The initials didn’t appear again until 1918 when they were added on the bust of Lincoln beneath his shoulder.
The most well-known Lincoln Cent to ever be produced is the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent, commonly referred to as the “King of Lincoln Cents.” This coin’s one year variety and minuscule mintage of just 484,000 have propelled it to the forefront of the numismatic world for over a century.
The Lincoln Cent has seen multiple reverse designs over the years, including Frank Gasparro’s Lincoln Memorial reverse and Lyndall Bass’ Union Shield reverse. Although other reverse designs have been used, Victor David Brenner’s stunning bust of Lincoln is still showcased on the obverse over 111 years later.
