The release of the new Lincoln cent in August of 1909 caused great excitement. It was also the source of consternation and criticism. The New York Times reported on Aug. 6:
“Secretary of the Treasury MacVeagh has decided to stop the minting of the new Lincoln cents. New dies will be prepared as soon as possible, substituting for the initials of the designer the single initial “B” in an obscure part of the design. None of the cents issued so far will be called in, but the minting will be stopped because a sufficient supply is on hand. The initials V.D.B. are those of the designer, V. D. Brenner of New York, and the single initial will be, it is considered, a sufficient recognition of his work.
“This decision created much surprise, as the Treasury Department announced yesterday that the new coins would be in circulation for the present at least, and that the use of the initials on them was in line with a custom that had prevailed for years. This prominence, however, awakened widespread criticism, and today’s action followed further consideration of the matter.”
Apparently, the new coins had arrived in New York on Aug. 4, ascontinued: “With the Lincoln cent craze two days old, the Sub-Treasury yesterday was cleaned out of its supply and had to send hurried calls to Washington for reinforcements. All day long, from the time the office opened, a constant string of men and boys filed into the building where the shiny little “V.D.B.” coins were being doled out in exchange for other currency. “So great did the crush become on Pine Street, from Nassau to William Street, that the police reserves had to be called out. They were obliged eventually to establish lines at either end of the street. “While this ‘run on the Treasury’ was going on, the news of Secretary MacVeagh’s decision to stop the minting of any more coins with the initials of the artist, Victor D. Brenner, was received. Mr. Brenner was greatly cast down when he heard of it. At his studio, at 114 East Twenty-eighth Street, he declared that a serious injustice would be done him if the Secretary’s order was carried out. “‘If I find that this order has gone forth,’ said Mr. Brenner, ‘I shall write to Mr. MacVeagh about it. He should consult me before doing anything of this sort. It is a courtesy that is due me as the designer.’ “‘When my design was accepted by the Treasury, my full name was upon the coin. Secretary Cortelyou, with whom I had my dealings, assured me that my name should remain upon it. Mr. Leach of the Mint at Philadelphia understood this, too. When I received the first die of the coin, my name was there, just as I had engraved it. They sent me another die later, and on this my initials appeared instead of the whole name. I thought that was an exceedingly peculiar thing for them to do, but I decided to say nothing.’
