SKH-1c-2015-64 Spiked Head

Description

Reaching sequence number sixty-four out of at least sixty-five cataloged spiked heads, SKH-1c-2015-64 stands near the summit of the most thoroughly documented single-year die variety census in Lincoln cent history. The magnitude bears emphasis: sixty-four distinct working dies each developed a fracture at the portrait-rim boundary and were identified, submitted to Cuds on Coins, and assigned individual catalog entries. This depth of documentation reflects both the mechanical reality of modern cent production — where dies strike at high speed and volume — and the dedication of a collector community that treats each crack as a unique specimen worthy of recording. No two spiked heads are identical; the exact path of die fracture propagation depends on micro-variations in steel grain structure, heat treatment uniformity, and the specific stress history each die accumulates during its service life. The 2015 cent was struck at Philadelphia on copper-plated zinc planchets, carrying Brenner's portrait and Bass's Shield reverse. At number sixty-four, this variety demonstrates that systematic cataloging can reveal the full scope of a die failure phenomenon.

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