VICTOR DAVID BRENNER (Medalist and Sculptor)

He was born in Shavli, then Russia, in 1871 and died in New
York, 1924. His
grandfather and his father were metal workers, and Brenner picked up a
knowledge of artistic iron-work whilst receiving a typical Jewish
education.He emigrated to the United States in 1890. He was in turn a
maker of seals, a line engraver, and in New York he worked as a die
cutter whilst he studied at Cooper Union. In 1898 he went to Paris,and
studied engraving, and sculpture there. Brenner studied at the
Academie Julian in Paris as well as in Riga and Kovno. In 1906 he
resettled in New York
and in 1909 engraved the well-known Lincoln cent, on which his initials
appeared.. He lived mostly in the New York area. Was helped by Prof.
Etlinger. He Designed Medals and coins (also American coins at the
request of president Roosevelt). He wrote a book about the art of
making Medals.
Victor David Brenner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

United States Lincoln Cent
Victor David Brenner (June 12, 1871 – April 5, 1924) was the designer
of the United States Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent. He was born to Jewish
parents in Shavli, Lithuania in 1871 and became a noted sculptor,
engraver, and medalist. He studied at the Académie Julian in Paris and
emigrated to the United States in 1890, living mostly in the New York
area.

Some of Brenner's most noteworthy sculptural works include:

Rev. Dr Muhlenberg Medal (issued by the American Numismatic and
Archaeological Society)
Portrait-plaquette of Fridtjof Nansen
Portrait medallion of J. Sanford Saltus
Portrait medallion of C. Delacour
Portrait-plaquette of Abraham Lincoln (the same plaquette that was
used in the design of the Lincoln cent)

Lincoln cent
Brenner is probably best-known for his enduring Lincoln cent design,
the obverse of which is the longest-running design in United States
Mint history. Following the precedent of James B. Longacre, whose
initials "JBL" (or simply "L") graced a number of U.S. coin designs
for much of the latter half of the 19th century, Brenner placed his
initials "VDB" at the bottom of the reverse between the wheat ear
stalks. Widespread criticism of the initials' prominence resulted in
their removal midway through 1909, the design's first year of issue.
In 1918, Brenner's initials returned as small letters below Lincoln's
shoulder, where they remain today. (The incorporation of the
designer's initials into a coin design is now commonplace in the U.S.)

Brenner died in 1924 and is buried at Mount Judah Cemetery, Ridgewood,
Queens County, New York. In his later years he used to give people
1909 VDB pennies.
See also
List of Saltus Award winners

References
PCGS The Professional Coin Grading Service's biography of Victor David
Brenner
L. Forrer, Biographical Dictionary of Medalists (Vol 1, 1904) pp.
277–279
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