SKH-5c-2005D-01 Spiked Head

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this spiked head variety appears on the 2005-D Jefferson Nickel featuring the Bison reverse, struck at the Denver Mint as part of the Westward Journey Nickel Series commemorating the Lewis and Clark expedition. Spiked heads are overwhelmingly documented on Lincoln Cents, making this nickel example unusual in the die failure registry. The 2005 Bison design by Jamie Franki was a one-year-only reverse paired with Joe Fitzgerald's forward-facing portrait of Jefferson, a dramatic departure from the traditional profile view used since 1938. The forward-facing portrait presents different stress points than side-profile designs, potentially creating distinct die crack patterns around the portrait area. A spiked head forms when a crack near the portrait channels striking pressure into the fracture, raising a projection of metal above the coin's surface. As the first documented spiked head for the 2005-D Bison nickel, this variety establishes that the phenomenon extends beyond Lincoln Cents into other denominations.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Cooper Darwell
• Cross reference: none. 03/22/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References