SKH-10c-1952-02 Spike Head

Description

Cataloged by the Cuds on Coins attribution service, SKH-10c-1952-02 records the second identified spiked head variety on the 1952 Roosevelt silver dime. The designation follows the standardized naming convention: SKH for spiked head, 10c for the dime denomination, 1952 for the date, and 02 indicating the second cataloged instance for this year. Spiked head varieties on Roosevelt dimes originate from die cracks or die chips that develop on the obverse die in the area around Roosevelt's head, producing raised spike-like projections that extend from the portrait into the adjacent field on struck coins. John R. Sinnock designed the Roosevelt dime in 1946, placing a left-facing portrait with considerable sculptural depth that creates stress concentrations in the die steel at the boundary between the raised portrait and the recessed field — precisely the zone where spiked head cracks tend to develop. Philadelphia struck approximately 99.04 million silver dimes in 1952, a substantial production run that subjected dies to extensive use across millions of striking cycles. The die deterioration that produces spiked head varieties typically develops during mid-to-late die state, when accumulated metal fatigue from repeated striking causes the die steel to fracture along stress lines radiating outward from the portrait's high-relief areas. The resulting raised spike on struck coins can vary dramatically in length, width, and direction depending on the specific fracture path through the die. First listed on June 14, 2017, this variety joins a growing census of Roosevelt dime spiked heads that documents the frequency and distribution of this die failure mode across the series. Collectors should examine the area around Roosevelt's head under 10x magnification, looking for an irregular raised projection extending from the portrait into the field.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Tom Koolick
• Cross reference: none. 06/14/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References