2016 (P) Roosevelt Dime - SKH-10c-2016P-04 Spiked Head

Description

A die chip directly on Roosevelt's head gives this 2016 Philadelphia Roosevelt Dime its spiked head classification — a raised spike-like projection from the portrait that lends the error type its colorful name. Spiked heads occur when a small piece of die surface chips away near the portrait, creating a void that fills with metal during striking and transfers as a raised protrusion on the finished coin. The chip's location makes the spike particularly prominent, appearing as a horn or antenna-like extension. Die chips differ mechanically from die cracks: a crack is a linear fracture producing a thin raised line, while a chip involves removal of a small area of die surface, creating a more localized raised feature. The 2016-P Roosevelt Dime was struck in the standard copper-nickel clad composition at Philadelphia, continuing a design in continuous production since 1946 when it replaced the Mercury Dime following Franklin D. Roosevelt's death. Spiked head varieties are popular with error collectors because they are visually dramatic yet accessible, often discoverable through examination of circulation finds. Documented by the Cuds on Coins project.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 10/12/2017.

External References