1971 (D) Lincoln Memorial Cent - SKH-1C-1971D-01 Spike Head

Description

SKH-1C-1971D-01 documents the first recorded die crack variety emanating from Lincoln's head on a 1971-D cent. A spiked head forms when a die crack develops at or near the top of Lincoln's portrait and extends outward into the field, producing a spike-like protrusion of raised metal on struck coins that appears to project from the president's head. The mechanism is straightforward: as the crack opens in the die steel, it creates a narrow channel that fills with planchet metal during striking, forming a thin raised line on the coin's surface. SKH-1C-1971D-01 establishes the beginning of this extensive catalog. Attributed by Cuds on Coins, spiked heads occupy a distinctive niche in Lincoln cent collecting — they are visually dramatic enough to be spotted without magnification on well-struck examples, yet sufficiently varied in their specific crack geometry to sustain a specialized collecting pursuit within a single date.

Cross References

• SKH-1C-1971D-01

External References