SKH-50c-1998P-01 Spiked Head

Description

Opening the spiked head catalog for the 1998 Philadelphia Mint Kennedy Half Dollar, this inaugural entry documents a die clash variety where elements of the heraldic eagle reverse transferred into the obverse die and produced a raised spike projecting from President Kennedy's portrait. Spiked heads on Kennedy Half Dollars operate through the same fundamental mechanism as their Lincoln Cent counterparts: when a planchet fails to feed between the dies during the coining press cycle, the obverse and reverse dies contact each other directly, and design elements from one die impress into the other. The reverse of the Kennedy Half Dollar features a heraldic eagle with outstretched wings, surrounded by stars, rays, and the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA — elements with sufficient relief to create recognizable transferred impressions when die clashes occur. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins under the cross-reference SKH-50c-1998P-01, this variety extends the spiked head phenomenon beyond its most commonly associated denomination (the Lincoln Cent) into the half dollar series. The 1998-P Kennedy Half Dollar was produced in copper-nickel clad composition during a period when half dollars were struck primarily for collector distribution rather than commercial circulation, with production volumes far lower than cent output. This reduced mintage means fewer die pairs were consumed and fewer clash opportunities existed, making Kennedy Half Dollar spiked heads considerably scarcer than their cent equivalents. As the first and potentially only spiked head documented for the 1998-P date, SKH-50c-1998P-01 may represent a unique die event with limited availability.

Attribution History

• SKH-50c-1998P-01
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References