SKH-1c-1950-14 Spike Head

Description

Spike head varieties differ from one another in the size, angle, and precise position of the raised projection — variables determined by the unique fracture path each die crack follows through the hardened steel of the working die. SKH-1c-1950-14, cross-referenced as Cohen Index 50-69, is a 1950 proof Lincoln Wheat Cent whose spike head exhibits the specific crack geometry characteristic of this particular die. Some spikes emerge as thin, hair-like fins barely visible without magnification, while others present as substantial projections clearly visible to the unaided eye; some extend vertically from the crown of Lincoln's head, while others angle forward or backward depending on the crack's trajectory through the portrait. The Cohen Index number 50-69 places this variety late in the sequence of documented 1950 die varieties, indicating extensive prior cataloging for this date. As a proof striking, this coin was produced at the Philadelphia Mint on specially polished planchets using polished dies — conditions that yield sharper definition of die crack features than business strike production. The 1950 proof Lincoln Wheat Cent belongs to the first proof sets issued since the wartime suspension, a resumption that generated considerable collector enthusiasm and close scrutiny of every die used in the proof production run.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index 50-69. 07/13/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References