SKH-1c-1950-13 Spiked Head

Description

To identify a spiked head variety, examine the area directly above Lincoln's head under 5x to 10x magnification, tilting the coin to catch light along the portrait's highest points — the spike appears as a raised fin or projection extending outward from the head, distinct from the normal contours of Brenner's engraving. SKH-1c-1950-13, cataloged in the Cuds on Coins registry without a Cohen Index assignment, is a 1950 business strike Lincoln Wheat Cent bearing this distinctive die crack variety. The spike's visibility depends on the coin's state of preservation: on uncirculated specimens, the spike stands in sharp relief against lustrous fields, while on circulated examples, wear may reduce it to a faint ridge detectable primarily by feel or oblique lighting. Confirmation of a specific spiked head die — as opposed to simply identifying a coin as "a spiked head" — requires matching the spike's exact position, angle, and length against published reference images for each cataloged die. The 1950 date has numerous documented spiked head dies across both business strike and proof production, making precise attribution essential for collectors assembling die-specific sets. Philadelphia Mint production. Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait, in continuous use since 1909, provides the consistent canvas on which these die crack projections occur year after year throughout the Wheat Cent series.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index Not Listed. 06/06/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References