What is a VDB penny?

The VDB penny was produced in 1909 and is named for Victor David Brenner, the designer of the Lincoln cent. The pennies can be identified by the date and by the initials V.D.B. on the back of the coin, explains The Fun Times Guide.

The penny has two variants: one with and one without an "S" mark underneath the date on the face. VDB pennies with the "S" mark were struck at the mint in San Francisco, while those without it were struck in Philadelphia. According to The Fun Times Guide, 28 million of the Philadelphia coins were struck, but in San Francisco only 484,000 were struck. This makes those relatively rare. The San Francisco coins thus trade for a much higher value among collectors.