SKH-1c-1971D-03 Spiked Head

Description

Among the earliest documented entries in the 1971-D spiked head catalog, SKH-1c-1971D-03 was recorded on June 21, 2016, and represents the third distinct working die found to have developed a crack at Lincoln's head on a 1971-D cent. Die cracks at this location follow a consistent mechanical pattern: the portrait's high relief creates a stress riser in the die steel, where the transition from the deep-cut recesses of the hair detail to the adjacent field concentrates striking forces. Over thousands of impressions, microscopic flaws in the die's crystalline structure nucleate into visible cracks that propagate outward, producing the spike that gives this variety type its name. Attributed by Cuds on Coins, SKH-1c-1971D-03 belongs to what would become one of the richest single-date concentrations of spiked heads in Memorial cent history — a family eventually exceeding twenty-one varieties. The appeal of spiked heads extends beyond variety collecting into the broader Lincoln cent community because the spike creates a visually arresting anomaly that transforms a common Denver cent into a conversation piece. Even collectors who do not actively pursue die varieties often recognize and appreciate the distinctive protrusion when they encounter it during routine coin examination, making spiked heads an effective gateway variety for numismatists exploring the die variety field for the first time.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross reference: none. 06/21/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References