SKH-1c-2015D-02 Spiked Head

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins on May 22, 2020, this second documented spiked head for the 2015 Denver Mint Lincoln Shield Cent features a reverse die chip identified by a "white arrow" in the original documentation — distinguishing it from spiked heads on the same date that carry "black arrow" reverse markers. Spiked head varieties form through a mechanical process where a small fragment of die steel adjacent to Lincoln's portrait fractures and separates from the die face. The resulting cavity fills with metal during striking, producing the raised spike or protrusion that gives the variety its name. Each spiked head is unique to the individual die on which the chip occurred, since the fracture pattern is random and unreproducible. The distinction between "white arrow" and "black arrow" die chip indicators in the Cuds on Coins documentation system helps collectors differentiate between multiple spiked head varieties sharing the same date and mint mark. The 2015 Denver Mint produced billions of cents as part of the standard annual output, and the large number of dies consumed during production statistically guarantees that some will develop the stress fractures near the portrait that create spiked heads. The Lincoln Shield design was in its sixth year of production in 2015, and the Denver facility's high-speed presses imposed significant mechanical stress on each die pair.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Mike Durney
• Cross reference: none. 05/22/2020.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References