SKH-1c-1974D-01 Spiked Head

Description

Also cataloged under the designation SKH-1c-1974D-01 with the alternate title format "Spiked Head," this listing represents the same variety code as the preceding entry but exists as a separate record in the database, attributed by Cuds on Coins with a documentation date of June 28, 2021. Spiked head errors on Lincoln cents are a distinctive subclass of die damage in which a break, gouge, or chip in the die surface near Lincoln's portrait produces a raised projection or spike on struck coins. The visual effect can range from a subtle nub barely visible without magnification to a prominent horn-like protrusion extending well above the normal profile of Lincoln's head. The mechanism is straightforward: when die steel is lost — whether through fatigue fracture, impact damage, or clashing — the resulting cavity fills with flowing planchet metal during the striking process, and the metal that fills the void stands proud of the surrounding design surface. On the 1974-D Lincoln cent, struck at the Denver Mint from a mintage of approximately 4.24 billion pieces, spiked head varieties are a natural consequence of the intense die utilization rates demanded by such enormous production targets. Each die pair served for hundreds of thousands of strikes, and localized damage to the die face in the vicinity of Lincoln's portrait was one of several possible failure modes. No additional cross-reference numbers from other attribution services have been assigned to SKH-1c-1974D-01. The variety is cataloged exclusively within the Cuds on Coins system under the SKH prefix, distinguishing spiked head errors from conventional die chips (DC prefix) and rim cuds (CU prefix).

Attribution History

• Discovered by Patrick M
• Cross reference: none. 06/28/2021.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References