SKH-1c-1984-02 Spiked Head

Description

For collectors who specialize in cherry-picking spiked heads from rolls and bags of common-date Lincoln cents, SKH-1c-1984-02 on the 1984 Philadelphia Memorial cent offers a worthwhile target. The second spiked head cataloged for 1984-P, this variety displays a die crack extending from Lincoln's head at a position and angle distinct from the first entry, SKH-01. Identification in practice begins with locating any Lincoln cent showing an anomalous raised line projecting from the portrait — once found, the searcher compares the spike's orientation, length, and associated field markers against reference photographs to determine which catalog entry matches. The 1984 Philadelphia cent is an ideal date for spiked head hunting due to the massive mintage of over 8.15 billion pieces, which ensures large quantities remain available in unsearched accumulations. The copper-plated zinc composition — 97.5% zinc core with 2.5% copper plating, weighing 2.5 grams at 19mm — is the standard specification for all Lincoln cents from 1983 onward. Documented by Cuds on Coins on November 22, 2016, SKH-1c-1984-02 awaits discovery by searchers willing to examine these common coins with uncommon care.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Larry Peterson
• Cross reference: none. 11/22/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References