SKH-1c-2017P-06 Spiked Head

Description

Six confirmed spiked head dies from a single date-mint combination signals a production year where die cracking in the portrait area occurred with notable regularity. SKH-1c-2017P-06 on the 2017 (P) Lincoln Shield Cent adds to a growing body of evidence that the 2017 Philadelphia production year was particularly productive for this variety type, whether due to die steel characteristics, press operating parameters, or simply the statistical consequence of a very large die population. The relationship between total production volume and spiked head frequency is not strictly linear—a year with twice the output does not necessarily produce twice the spiked heads—but the correlation is positive enough that high-mintage dates consistently populate the upper reaches of the catalog sequence. For variety researchers, each new entry from a well-documented date provides another data point for cross-die comparison, enabling the study of whether certain hub positions or portrait features serve as preferential crack initiation sites. Attributed by Cuds on Coins from Philadelphia Mint production.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross reference: none. 10/16/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References