SKH-1c-1989-01 Spiked Head

Description

Spiked head varieties are among the most visually striking die break types on Lincoln cents — a die crack or die chip at the top of Lincoln's head creates a raised spike or horn-like projection that gives the portrait a distinctly altered silhouette. SKH-1c-1989-01 on the 1989 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent exhibits this characteristic spike extending from Lincoln's head, along with an additional die chip located between the coat and the rim that provides a secondary diagnostic marker for attribution. The spike itself forms when a sliver of die steel fractures along the high-relief boundary between Lincoln's hair detail and the adjacent field; the resulting void fills with planchet metal during striking, producing the raised projection. The size and angle of the spike vary from die to die — some produce a subtle nub barely visible without magnification, while others create dramatic spires that extend well into the field. This variety's combination of the head spike and the coat-to-rim die chip creates a two-point diagnostic that simplifies die-matching when multiple spiked head varieties exist for a given date. Reported on September 19, 2017, spiked heads enjoy particular popularity among collectors due to their vivid, easily communicated appearance — even non-collectors can appreciate the visual anomaly of Lincoln appearing to wear a horn. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint on a copper-plated zinc planchet (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm diameter.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Cross reference: none. 09/19/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References