SKH-1c-1986-02 Spiked Head

Description

The second spiked head variety cataloged for the 1986 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent, SKH-1c-1986-02 documents another obverse die that developed a crack extending from the top of Lincoln's head. Multiple spiked head varieties on the same date confirm that the stress concentration at the crown of the portrait is not an isolated failure point but a systematic vulnerability in the die design — one that manifests independently across multiple dies manufactured from the same master hub. Each spiked head variety represents a different working die that cracked at the same general location, though the specific angle, length, and morphology of each crack differs because the exact path of fatigue propagation depends on microscopic variations in the die steel's grain structure and any pre-existing microdefects. For attributors, these subtle differences in crack geometry are what distinguish one spiked head variety from another: SKH-02 carries its own unique crack profile that separates it from SKH-01, SKH-03, and SKH-04 for this date. Collectors pursuing a complete set of 1986-P spiked heads can assemble all four documented varieties. Struck at Philadelphia (no mint mark) on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Sean O’Connell
• Cross reference: none. 02/14/20017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References