1996 (P) Washington Quarter - SKH-25C-1996P-10 Spike Head

Description

Tenth in the documented spike head sequence for the 1996 Philadelphia Mint Washington Quarter, SKH-25C-1996P-10 captures yet another cracked obverse die from a year of prolific quarter production. Philadelphia's 1996 quarter output exceeded 925 million coins — a production volume that consumed hundreds of die pairs across the year's press runs. When a crack opens in the obverse die and runs from the rim into Washington's bust, metal fills it during striking, and subsequent coins display a spike extending from Washington's portrait. The tenth spike head for this date-and-mint indicates that at least ten separate obverse dies cracked this way, each producing a unique spike characterized by its specific position, angle, and length on the Washington portrait. John Flanagan's classic design, with its detailed rendering of Washington's profile including the tied-back hair and colonial-era queue, offers many points where such a crack can meet the portrait. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the 1996-P spike heads document die cracking into the bust during the penultimate era of the original Washington Quarter reverse. Collectors building comprehensive spike head sets for the 1990s Washington Quarter series find the 1996-P date among the more productive years to search, with a double-digit count of documented varieties providing both collecting depth and the ongoing possibility of undiscovered examples.

Cross References

• SKH-25C-1996P-10

External References