SKH-5c-2004P-01 Spiked Head

Description

First documented spiked head variety on the 2004 Philadelphia Mint Jefferson Nickel with the Peace Medal reverse — one of the special Westward Journey designs commemorating the Lewis and Clark expedition that replaced the standard Monticello reverse for 2004 and 2005. The Peace Medal reverse depicts the medal presented to Native American chiefs as a diplomatic gesture, featuring clasped hands beneath a crossed peace pipe and hatchet. Spiked head varieties on Jefferson Nickels are cataloged using the same methodology as Lincoln Cent spikes: a die crack or chip near the portrait creates a void that fills with metal during striking, producing a raised projection from the head. On the 2004 obverse, which retained the familiar Felix Schlag portrait of Jefferson used since 1938, the spike extends from Jefferson's likeness. The Westward Journey series represented the first major design changes to the Jefferson Nickel in its sixty-six-year history, generating heightened collector interest and increased die variety searching across the 2004 and 2005 issues. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins as the inaugural spiked head for this distinctive commemorative nickel type.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Randy Adams
• Cross reference: none. 08/22/2023.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References