SKH-1c-1970D-03 Spiked Head

Description

Documented under the Cuds on Coins catalog as SKH-1c-1970D-03, this spiked head variety appears on the 1970-D Lincoln Memorial cent and represents the third such die chip anomaly recorded for that date and mintmark combination. Spiked head errors form when microscopic fractures propagate through the die steel in the area adjacent to Lincoln's portrait on Victor David Brenner's obverse design, causing a small chip to separate from the die face. The resulting void fills with metal under the tremendous pressure of the coining press — typically 30 to 40 tons for cent production — creating a raised spike or projection on the struck coin. Denver produced approximately 2.89 billion cents in 1970, an enormous output reflecting the ongoing expansion of circulating coinage demand during the late 1960s and early 1970s. That production volume drove intense die usage, with individual die pairs sometimes striking hundreds of thousands of coins before retirement, and the cumulative stress accelerated the type of progressive die deterioration that produces spiked head varieties. Each spike is diagnostically unique because die fractures follow unpredictable paths through the steel's crystalline structure, meaning no two spiked head varieties from different dies will exhibit identical spike profiles. Collectors hunting for this specific variety should examine the area around Lincoln's head under 10-20x magnification, looking for a raised metallic projection that shares the coin's original surface finish. The spike should appear crisp and well-defined on early die state specimens, potentially becoming less distinct on later strikes as the fracture zone continues to deteriorate.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Dustin Ickow
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References