SKH-25c-1998P-10 Spiked Head

Description

Documenting the tenth spiked head variety from the 1998 Philadelphia Quarter, SKH-25c-1998P-10 is cataloged by Cuds on Coins as another instance of die deterioration producing raised spike-like projections from Washington's portrait. The high number of documented spiked heads across both 1996 and 1998 Philadelphia quarters suggests systematic monitoring by variety researchers during this period of the series. Like all spiked head varieties, this one results from metal flow along stress fractures in the die face — microscopic cracks that allow die steel to extrude slightly during the immense pressure of each strike. The resulting raised features on finished coins point outward from the highest-relief design elements, creating the distinctive spiked appearance that gives the error type its name. As one of the last traditional Washington Quarter issues, 1998-P spiked heads offer collectors a snapshot of die behavior at the end of a sixty-six-year design era.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Greg Bowyer
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References