SKH-1c-1991-01 Spiked Head

Description

A spiked head variety forms when a die crack or die chip develops at the boundary between Lincoln's portrait and the surrounding flat field on a Lincoln cent obverse die. Because the portrait is the highest-relief element on the die — meaning it is the deepest recess in the die face — stress concentrates along the sharp transition between the recessed portrait and the flat field surface. When a crack opens along this boundary, metal from the planchet is forced into the crack during striking, producing a thin raised spike that projects outward from Lincoln's head on the finished coin. SKH-1c-1991-01, reported on April 28, 2016, is the first cataloged spiked head for the 1991 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent and opens a census that would eventually grow to 19 documented varieties — an exceptionally prolific count for a single date. Each spiked head represents a unique die with its own crack location, spike direction, and associated die markers, making the 1991-P cent a particularly rich date for this variety type. Struck at Philadelphia on copper-plated zinc planchets composed of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, weighing 2.5 grams and measuring 19mm.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Sean O’Connell
• Cross reference: none. 04/28/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References