SKH-1c-2016-04 Spiked Head

Description

Modern Lincoln Shield Cents continue to produce spiked head varieties despite advances in die steel metallurgy, and SKH-1c-2016-04 documents the fourth cataloged example on the 2016 Philadelphia issue. Source documentation describes a die crack on Lincoln's forehead as the feature generating the spiked head effect — a crack radiating from the high-relief forehead outward, creating a raised projection on struck coins. The Lincoln Shield Cent, introduced in 2010 with Lyndall Bass's Union Shield reverse, carries a modified version of Victor David Brenner's 1909 obverse portrait, and the deeply engraved hair and facial features serve as stress concentration points where die cracks preferentially develop. The 2016 Philadelphia cent was struck on copper-plated zinc planchets, the standard composition since 1982, and the hard zinc core transmits different impact forces compared to the original bronze alloy. Spiked head varieties on Shield Cents represent the continuation of a variety type documented across more than a century of Lincoln Cent production, from Wheat Cents through Memorial Cents into the current era. No additional cross-references beyond the source notation are listed.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross reference: Die Crack on Lincoln’s forehead. 01/12/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References