SKH-25c-1948-01 Spiked Head

Description

Cataloged as SKH-25c-1948-01, this 1948 Washington Quarter exhibits a spiked head variety — a die crack extending outward from the top of Washington's head, creating a raised projection resembling a spike or horn on struck coins. Spiked heads are a popular collecting niche within the Washington Quarter series because the crack location on the portrait's crown produces an immediately recognizable anomaly. The crack develops when stress fractures radiate from the high-relief portrait area toward the rim, and the resulting raised line varies in length and prominence depending on severity and die state. This 1948 Philadelphia issue is a 90% silver quarter from the pre-1965 Washington series (1932-1964), and die crack varieties on silver issues carry additional appeal for collectors valuing the intersection of composition and variety. The reverse also displays die cracks at positions documented in reference images, providing secondary attribution markers. As the first cataloged spiked head for 1948, SKH-25c-1948-01 serves as the type variety, establishing the baseline against which future spiked head discoveries on 1948 quarters would be compared.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Keith Christenson
• Cross reference: none. 11/08/2023.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References