SKH-1c-1986-14 Spiked Head

Description

Reference imagery for SKH-1c-1986-14 on the 1986 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent highlights reverse die cracks marked by black arrows — a notation convention that contrasts with the white arrows used for other spiked head entries in the 1986-P census. The arrow color distinction in reference photography is a practical one: annotators select white or black depending on which provides better contrast against the coin's surface tones in the specific image being documented, ensuring the die crack locations remain clearly visible regardless of the coin's toning or lighting conditions. The reverse die cracks flagged by these black arrows serve the same diagnostic function as those on SKH-12 and SKH-13, providing reverse-side attribution markers that complement the obverse spiked head. As the fourteenth spiked head variety cataloged for 1986-P, SKH-14 sits near the end of an extensive die crack census that few dates in the Lincoln Memorial series can match. The depth of documentation for this year reflects both the staggering production volume — 4,491,395,493 cents from Philadelphia — and the dedicated effort of variety catalogers who have methodically distinguished each die's unique crack signature. Collectors pursuing a complete 1986-P spiked head set will find that reverse crack patterns are among the most reliable tools for separating visually similar 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 David Bennett
• Cross reference: none. 04/28/2024.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References