1950 (S) Roosevelt Dime - SKH-10c-1950S-01 Spiked Head

Description

First spiked head variety identified for the 1950-S Roosevelt dime, SKH-10c-1950S-01 captures a die crack deterioration event at San Francisco during the early years of John R. Sinnock's dime design. The 1950-S holds particular numismatic significance as a semi-key date in the Roosevelt dime series, where the combination of modest mintage and heavy circulation attrition has reduced the available supply of high-grade examples. Spiked heads develop when a fine crack forms in the die's incuse portrait cavity — the channel that creates Roosevelt's hair, ear, or profile on struck coins — and the resulting void fills with metal from the planchet during each press cycle, projecting a thin raised spike from the portrait. As the first and only spiked head documented for the 1950-S date (indicated by the 01 designation), this variety may represent an unusual die that was kept in service longer than normal or developed a crack early in its production life. The proof-exclusive S-mint dimes would not begin until 1968, so all 1950-S Roosevelt dimes are business strikes produced for circulation. First cataloged on July 17, 2017, by the Cuds on Coins service with no cross-references, this variety combines the appeal of a semi-key date Roosevelt dime with the collectible interest of a die deterioration variety. Collectors searching for SKH-10c-1950S-01 should examine Roosevelt's head under 10-15x magnification, noting that the lower mintage means fewer specimens exist overall, potentially making this spiked head more challenging to locate than equivalent varieties on higher-mintage dates.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 07/17/2017.

External References