SKH-1c-2013-05 Spiked Head

Description

Fifth documented spiked head for the 2013 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent, this entry demonstrates the regularity with which die clash events occurred during that year's cent production. A spiked head results when the obverse and reverse dies contact each other without a planchet — a die clash — and elements of the Union Shield reverse transfer into the obverse die, producing a raised spike on Lincoln's portrait in subsequent strikes. The geometric precision of the Shield reverse, with its bold vertical lines representing the states and horizontal band symbolizing Congress, creates particularly defined impressions when die clashes occur. Five spiked heads from 2013-P indicates at least five separate die pairs experienced clash events during the year's production run, each producing a spike with unique positional characteristics. The 2013 cent was the fourth year of the Shield design, by which point die clash patterns on this reverse type were well understood by variety researchers. SKH-1c-2013-05 is cataloged by Cuds on Coins. Shield Cent spiked heads have become a popular collecting specialty within modern die varieties, appealing to hobbyists who appreciate that these varieties can still be found in circulation and bank-wrapped rolls at face value.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Juan Carlos Pilozo Montoya
• Cross reference: none. 08/15/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References