SKH-10c-1940S-04 Spiked Head

Description

Rounding out the 1940-S spiked head trio in this batch, SKH-10c-1940S-04 is the fourth cataloged instance of a die crack at Liberty's head on Adolph Weinman's Mercury Dime obverse for this date-mint combination. The existence of at least four distinct spiked head varieties from the 1940-S production makes this date-mint pair one of the more prolific sources of the error type in the Mercury Dime series. Spiked heads are visually striking errors that appeal to collectors because the raised spike creates an immediately recognizable anomaly — unlike subtle doubled die varieties that require magnification, a prominent spike can often be spotted with the unaided eye. The spike forms because a die crack in the head area creates a channel in the die surface, and during striking, planchet metal flows into this channel and is squeezed upward, creating the raised protrusion. The San Francisco Mint struck 21,560,000 Mercury Dimes in 1940, providing ample production volume for die wear to generate multiple head-area cracks. Struck in 90% silver at 2.5 grams. The catalog code follows Cuds on Coins format: SKH for spiked head, 10c for the dime denomination, 1940S for the year and mint, and 04 for sequence. Examine the head and winged cap area for the spike, comparing its geometry against the SKH-01 and SKH-03 entries for proper attribution.

External References