SKH-1c-1973D-01 Spiked Head

Description

The first spiked head variety attributed for the 1973 Denver Mint Lincoln Memorial cent, SKH-1c-1973D-01 carries an unusual distinction in the Cuds on Coins catalog: it was reported on two separate dates — September 23, 2016, and February 2, 2017. This dual-reporting is uncommon in the attribution record and suggests either that two independent collectors submitted specimens from the same die approximately five months apart, or that the original discoverer provided additional specimens at the later date to supplement the initial attribution. Either scenario underscores the variety's discoverability within the surviving population of 1973-D cents. No cross-references to external attribution systems have been established. The spiked head phenomenon results from a fatigue crack that initiates at the deepest point of the obverse die cavity — the apex of Lincoln's portrait — where repeated striking concentrates maximum mechanical stress. As the crack propagates from the die interior toward its working surface, it creates a narrow channel into which planchet metal is forced under the coining press's tonnage. The resulting raised spike or horn projecting from Lincoln's head is the defining characteristic of this variety class. SKH-1c-1973D-01 inaugurates what would become an eleven-entry spiked head census for the 1973-D date (with the catalog skipping the -02 designation), demonstrating that portrait-apex fatigue failures were a recurring issue across the Denver Mint's die population during this high-volume production year.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross reference: none. 09/23/2016. Cross reference: none. 02/02/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References