2018 (P) Lincoln Shield Cent - SKH-1c-2018-09 Spiked Head

Description

SKH-1c-2018-09 is a spiked head cataloged for the 2018-P Lincoln Shield cent. The spiked head formation process is consistent across all modern Lincoln cents: narrow die steel ridges within the incuse portrait fracture under cyclic striking loads, and copper-plated zinc planchet metal fills the resulting channels to create raised projections on finished coins. Each variety is distinguished by the unique position and angle of its spike, which is determined by the specific crack geometry on the individual working die. Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait, continuously used since 1909, provides the portrait topography where cracks originate, while Lyndall Bass's Union Shield reverse, introduced in 2010, displays the bold geometric design representing national unity. The Cuds on Coins service provides diagnostic reference images for each cataloged variety. Collectors should examine Lincoln's portrait under 10-15x magnification and compare the spike's precise location, angular direction, and approximate length against published diagnostics for confident attribution to this specific SKH number.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 10/17/2024.

External References