SKH-5c-1914S-01 Spiked Head

Description

Representing the sole documented spiked head for the 1914-S Buffalo nickel, SKH-5c-1914S-01 records a die cracking event on one of the more collectible dates in James Earle Fraser's iconic series that ran from 1913 through 1938 — one of the more collectible dates in James Earle Fraser's iconic series that ran from 1913 through 1938. The naming convention follows the standard format: SKH for spiked head, 5c for the nickel denomination, 1914S for the San Francisco mint date, and 01 indicating the first cataloged variety. San Francisco struck approximately 3.47 million Buffalo nickels in 1914, a modest mintage that places this date among the scarcer S-mint issues in the series. Spiked head varieties on Buffalo nickels develop when the die steel fractures at the portrait's relief boundary — the transition zone between the raised Indian Head and the recessed field — producing a crack that fills with planchet metal during striking and creates a distinctive spike-like projection on the finished coin. Fraser's obverse design features a composite Native American portrait (reportedly modeled from Iron Tail, Two Moons, and John Big Tree) with deeply sculpted facial features and a feathered headdress that create significant relief differential against the adjacent field. This pronounced relief change concentrates mechanical stress in the die during repeated striking cycles, making the portrait boundary a natural site for fatigue cracking. First listed on February 25, 2017, this variety documents a die failure event on a key S-mint Buffalo nickel date where the relatively low production volume means fewer specimens survive to exhibit any given die state. Collectors examining 1914-S Buffalo nickels should inspect the area surrounding the Indian head portrait under 10-15x magnification with oblique lighting, looking for raised projections extending from the portrait into the field that replicate consistently across specimens struck from the same die.

Attribution History

• Cross reference: none. 02/25/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References