SKH-1C-2014-05 Spike Head

Description

The fifth documented spiked head on the 2014 Lincoln Shield Cent, cataloged as SKH-1C-2014-05 by Cuds on Coins, represents one entry in what would become one of the most prolific spiked head populations for any single date in the Lincoln Cent series. Spiked heads belong to the broader category of die chip varieties — minor die failures where a small piece of die steel fractures away, creating a void that strikes up as a raised protrusion on the coin's surface. On Lincoln Cents, these projections most commonly appear emanating from the head, forehead, or bust area, where the die's recessed design is deepest and the steel is thinnest between the design cavity and the die face. The 2014 date's exceptional count of at least 22 cataloged spiked heads points to conditions during that production year that amplified die fragility in the portrait region — whether through die steel composition, heat treatment specifications, production speed, or the cumulative number of impressions demanded from each die before replacement. Each spiked head variety originates from a unique die, and the SKH-1C-2014-05 designation confirms this as a distinct die separate from the other 2014 entries in the Cuds on Coins catalog.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• SKH-1C-2014-05
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References