1985 (P) Roosevelt Dime - SKH-10c-1985P-01 Spiked Head

Description

Sole documented spiked head for the 1985 Philadelphia Mint Roosevelt Dime, this variety captures a die crack from the mid-1980s when dime production operated on copper-nickel clad planchets at high volume. The spiked head on Roosevelt Dimes forms the same way as on other denominations: a crack opens in the obverse die between the rim and Roosevelt's bust, and planchet metal fills it during striking. The filled crack produces a raised protrusion on Roosevelt's portrait in subsequent strikes, appearing as a spike, horn, or projection depending on the path the crack takes into the portrait. The 1985-P dime was produced during a decade when United States coin production was substantial and stable, with Philadelphia and Denver sharing the workload across all circulating denominations. A single documented spiked head for 1985-P may reflect either few cracked dies of this kind or the reality that systematic Roosevelt Dime die variety research was far less developed in the 1980s than cent variety research. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with documentation dated July 11, 2022, SKH-10c-1985P-01 fills a gap in the dime spiked head timeline, pushing the known range of these varieties into the pre-internet era when discovery and reporting mechanisms were slower and less coordinated.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 07/11/2022.

External References