SKH-1c-1950-19 Spiked Head

Description

Nineteenth in the spiked head census for the 1950 Philadelphia Lincoln wheat cent, SKH-1c-1950-19 documents a die clash variety at the midpoint of the twentieth century. Philadelphia produced approximately 272.6 million cents in 1950, a year that also saw one of the most famous low-mintage issues in American numismatics — the 1950-D Jefferson nickel with its mere 2.63 million production. While the cent faced no such mintage rarity, the 19th documented spiked head for this single date indicates substantial die clash activity during 1950 production. Spiked heads form when the obverse and reverse dies collide without a planchet, impressing a portion of the reverse wheat ear design into the obverse die surface near Lincoln's portrait. The impressed area creates a shallow depression in the die steel that, on subsequently struck coins, appears as a raised spike extending from or near the head. Each cataloged spiked head variety has a unique spike position, orientation, and size determined by which reverse element caused the impression and the specific alignment of the dies at the moment of clash. The consistently high number of spiked head varieties documented for early 1950s Philadelphia cents suggests that the high-speed production environment and mechanical tolerances of the Mint's presses during this era regularly produced die clash events. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, SKH-1c-1950-19 contributes to a census that, when analyzed alongside other dates and mints, reveals patterns in die clash frequency related to production volume, press speed, and die maintenance practices. Collectors should examine Lincoln's head under 10-15x magnification, comparing any raised projection against the diagnostic position documented for this specific nineteenth variety to distinguish it from other spiked heads on the same date.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Alan English
• Cross reference number: none. 09/16/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References