1970 (D) Lincoln Memorial Cent - SKH-1c-1970D-04 Spiked Head

Description

SKH-1c-1970D-04 is a spiked head on the 1970-D Lincoln Memorial cent, cataloged by Cuds on Coins on February 15, 2017. No cross-references to other attribution systems are listed. While RPMs and DDOs reflect die preparation anomalies occurring before a die enters service, spiked heads document what happens during service as dies progressively deteriorate under production stress. Each 1970-D spiked head die developed its crack independently, at its own unique location on Lincoln's portrait, following its own propagation path into the surrounding field. Collectors can assemble a set of visually distinct spike configurations from a single date, each showing a different angle, length, and origin point reflecting the unique stress history of its parent die. For the cherry-picker examining 1970-D cents, spiked heads are relatively easy to spot because the spike projection often extends far enough into the open field above Lincoln's head to be visible at low magnification or even to the unaided eye on well-preserved specimens.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 02/15/2017.

External References