1991 (P) Jefferson Nickel - SKH-5c-1991P-01 Spiked Head

Description

Establishing the first documented spiked head for the 1991 Philadelphia Mint Jefferson Nickel, this variety marks the initial discovery of this kind of die crack for the date within the Cuds on Coins catalog. As the founding entry in what may eventually become a multi-variety sequence, SKH-5c-1991P-01 shows that obverse dies were cracking into the bust during early 1990s nickel production at Philadelphia. The spiked head forms when a crack opens in the obverse die and runs from the rim into Jefferson's bust; metal fills the crack during striking, manifesting as a raised spike on Jefferson's portrait. The 1991-P nickel was produced during a period when the United States Mint was manufacturing hundreds of millions of five-cent pieces annually at Philadelphia alone, across a large number of die pairs. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins on December 1, 2021, this variety was documented three full decades after the coin's production year, illustrating how die variety discoveries can emerge long after coins have entered circulation and passed through countless transactions. The -01 sequence number indicates this was the first spiked head identified for 1991-P, making it the reference specimen against which any future discoveries from the same date will be compared and distinguished.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 12/01/2021.

External References