The 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent stands as one of the most storied key dates in American numismatics—a coin that marks both the beginning of the Lincoln series and the brief, controversial appearance of Victor David Brenner’s initials. With a mintage of just 484,000 pieces from the San Francisco Mint, it remains a cornerstone of early 20th-century collecting. This month’s monochrome master study captures both sides of the coin, rendered in distinct styles that reflect not only the coin’s design but the artist’s evolving technique.

The obverse, completed in August 2022, was the first detailed drawing executed after a 15-year hiatus from the pencil. Its style is more interpretive than technical—an artistic re-entry that favors expressive linework and tonal softness over strict realism. Lincoln’s profile is modeled with warmth and contour, and the drawing invites the viewer to engage with the coin as portraiture. The inscription “IN GOD WE TRUST” floats with subtle curvature, and the date “1909” anchors the composition with quiet gravity. This side of the study reflects a moment of rediscovery—where muscle memory meets artistic intuition.

By contrast, the reverse—drawn in January 2023—demonstrates a return to technical fluency. The feel for precision rendering, honed during decades as a professional illustrator, is fully present. The typography is crisp and symmetrical, the wheat stalks modeled with architectural clarity, and the “V.D.B.” initials are rendered with exacting proportion. The drawing captures the coin’s sculptural intent with fidelity, emphasizing the balance between mass and negative space. It is a study in control, where every line serves the structure of the design.

Together, the two sides form a visual narrative—not just of the coin, but of the artist’s journey. The obverse speaks to reawakening; the reverse to mastery regained. The contrast between them is intentional and instructive, offering collectors a rare glimpse into the evolution of technique within a single numismatic subject. The use of Faber-Castell and Prismacolor pencils in black, white, and grey allows for nuanced tonal layering, preserving the coin’s proof-like contrast without relying on color or luster.

The pairing also underscores how different artistic approaches can reveal different truths about the same subject: one side emphasizes character and mood, while the other emphasizes structure and precision. This duality mirrors the coin’s own history, where artistry and controversy intersected in Brenner’s initials. The study demonstrates that numismatic drawing is not only about replication but also about interpretation, with each hand-drawn line carrying the weight of both design and experience. In this way, the 1909-S VDB becomes more than a key date—it becomes a canvas for exploring the dialogue between art and history.

This dual-style study affirms the role of drawing as both documentation and interpretation. It honors Brenner’s original design while also reflecting the personal arc of its rendering—from artistic instinct to technical precision. For collectors and historians alike, it offers not just a study of a coin, but a study of process—how time, memory, and experience shape the way we see and depict numismatic form.