SKH-1c-1950-09 Spike Head

Description

Cataloged on the same day as SKH-1c-1950-08, this ninth documented spike head for the 1950 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cent continues the extraordinary density of die fill varieties known for this date. The simultaneous cataloging suggests a focused research session that identified multiple proof die varieties in rapid succession. With only 51,386 proof sets produced in 1950, the number of documented spike heads indicates that die fill events were not uncommon during the Philadelphia Mint's proof production, even with the more controlled striking environment proof coins receive. A spike head occurs when foreign matter lodges in the die cavity near Lincoln's portrait, creating a void that produces a raised spike of metal on each coin struck until the debris clears. SKH-1c-1950-09 is cataloged by Cuds on Coins and is not listed in the Cohen Index. The 1950 proof issue holds added historical significance as the first proof coinage since 1942, when the Treasury suspended proof production for World War II. Collectors distinguish individual spike heads by the precise position and angle of the spike relative to Lincoln's portrait.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index Not Listed. 03/18/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References