1919 Mercury Dime - SKH-10c-1919-01 Spiked Head

Description

First and sole spike head variety documented for the 1919 Mercury dime, SKH-10c-1919-01 was cataloged by Cuds on Coins as of August 16, 2016. The Mercury dime series represented a dramatic departure from Charles Barber's more conservative Liberty Head design, and Weinman's sculptural approach — featuring Liberty in high relief with a flowing winged cap — created die preparation challenges that persisted throughout the series' thirty-year run. Spiked heads on Mercury dimes develop when a radial die crack forms near the cap or wing area of Liberty's head, where the higher relief concentrates striking stress. The 1919 date falls in a transitional period for American coinage: the end of World War I brought shifts in metal demand and production priorities, though the Philadelphia Mint maintained substantial dime output. No cross-references from other attribution services have been identified for this variety, making the Cuds on Coins listing the sole documentation source. The singular status of this spike head for the 1919 date — no additional examples documented to date — may indicate either that variety hunters have not yet systematically examined large populations of 1919 dimes or that the die steel used for this particular production year proved more resistant to the specific cracking pattern that generates spike heads. Collectors should inspect the crown and wing area of Liberty's head under 10-15x magnification, looking for a raised metallic projection with luster consistent with the coin's original surfaces rather than post-strike environmental additions.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 08/16/2016.

External References