SKH-25c-1995P-04 Spiked Head

Description

Fourth spiked head variety for the 1995 Philadelphia Mint Washington Quarter, this entry was cataloged on May 17, 2021, by Cuds on Coins — notably later than many other 1990s quarter spiked heads, demonstrating that die variety discoveries continue to emerge years or even decades after a coin's production date. The four-year gap between this May 2021 listing and the April 2017 cataloging of the -01 entry illustrates the incremental nature of die variety research, where new die pairs with clash evidence are identified as collectors continue examining coins from established dates. Spiked heads form when a coining press cycles without a planchet and the dies make direct contact, transferring the reverse heraldic eagle design into the obverse die surface. The resulting raised spike on Washington's portrait distinguishes each variety by its position, angle, and size. Four documented spiked heads for 1995-P represents a moderate total, consistent with a production year that generated substantial quantities without reaching the extraordinary volumes that some later dates achieved. No cross-references exist in other attribution systems for this particular variety. The Washington Quarter clad composition — copper-nickel bonded to a pure copper core — had been standard since 1965, providing consistent die wear characteristics and strike quality across the thirty-year span that preceded the State Quarters program. Collectors working through bags and rolls of mid-1990s quarters should examine each coin carefully for the subtle raised projections that indicate a spiked head variety.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Suzy Stewart
• Cross reference: none. 05/17/2021.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References