SKH-1C-1967-11 Spike Head

Description

Cataloged as SKH-1C-1967-11, this spiked head variety on the 1967 Lincoln cent documents a die deterioration error in which a raised spike or horn-like projection extends from Lincoln's portrait on the obverse. Spiked heads develop when a crack or chip forms in the die steel near the boundary of the recessed portrait cavity, creating a void that captures planchet metal during striking and produces a raised protrusion on the finished coin. The direction, length, and angle of the spike are unique to each die's fracture geometry, making every cataloged spiked head a fingerprint of an individual die's deterioration history. The 1967 date is the final year of the Coinage Act of 1965 no-mint-mark mandate, when all U.S. coins were produced without mint identification marks. The Philadelphia Mint's output of 3,048,667,100 business strike cents consumed an enormous population of working dies, and the extended service lives those dies were subjected to generated a wide range of deterioration errors including cuds, die cracks, and the spiked heads that have become a distinct collecting specialty. Spiked heads are popular among Lincoln cent variety collectors because they are often visible to the unaided eye and add a dramatic visual element to an otherwise familiar design. Cross-referenced as SKH-1C-1967-11 and attributed by Cuds on Coins. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

Attribution History

• SKH-1C-1967-11
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References