SKH-1C-2003-002 Spike Head

Description

The second spiked head variety cataloged for the 2003 Lincoln Memorial Cent from the Philadelphia Mint, the SKH-1C-2003-002 displays a die chip or progressive die crack that creates a raised protrusion extending from Lincoln's head on the obverse. Spiked head varieties form when a small fragment of the die surface breaks away or a crack develops in the area adjacent to the highest point of Lincoln's portrait, allowing metal to flow into the void and produce a spike-like extension. The 2003 date sits in the late Memorial Cent era — Frank Gasparro's reverse design would be replaced by the four 2009 Bicentennial reverses followed by the Union Shield in 2010 — and the Philadelphia Mint produced substantial quantities of cents without a mint mark during this period. As the second cataloged spiked head for the year, SKH-1C-2003-002 indicates that multiple dies experienced similar failure patterns in the vulnerable area around Lincoln's head, a phenomenon observed across many years of Lincoln Cent production where the high relief of Victor David Brenner's portrait creates stress concentrations in the corresponding die cavity. Attributed by Cuds on Coins, spiked head varieties have developed a dedicated following among Lincoln Cent specialists who track the full range of die deterioration patterns across the series.

Attribution History

• SKH-1C-2003-002
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References