SKH-5c-1982P-01 Spiked Head

Description

Sole documented spiked head for the 1982 Philadelphia Mint Jefferson Nickel, this variety was recorded on August 6, 2020, by Cuds on Coins — making it a relatively recent addition to the Jefferson Nickel die clash catalog despite the coin's nearly four-decade vintage. The 1982-P date occupies a historically significant position in American coinage: it was the first year that the P mintmark appeared on nickels, following the decision to add the Philadelphia mintmark to all denominations except the cent beginning in 1980. Prior to this change, Philadelphia coins bore no mintmark, and the addition of the P created a new collecting distinction for the denomination. A single spiked head from the 1982-P could reflect either genuinely low die clash frequency for this date or simply insufficient examination — many die varieties on common-date Jefferson Nickels await discovery as the coins sit unsearched in accumulations and bank holdings. The spike head forms through the familiar die clash mechanism: Monticello's reverse architecture transfers into the obverse die during a planchet feed failure, producing a raised protrusion on Jefferson's portrait. No cross-references are known for SKH-5c-1982P-01, and its status as the only documented spiked head for its date makes it a potentially significant reference piece. The 1982 nickel was produced during a period of economic recession, and mintage figures reflected reduced demand for circulating coinage — conditions that may have influenced die pair consumption and clash frequency.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Mike Durney
• Cross reference: none. 08/06/2020.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References