SKH-1c-2020-03 Spiked Head

Description

Produced during a year defined by unprecedented disruption, the 2020 Lincoln Shield Cent saw reduced mintage as the COVID-19 pandemic affected operations at Philadelphia and disrupted coin circulation nationwide. SKH-1c-2020-03 is the third spiked head cataloged for 2020, and the modest total — at least four, given SKH-1c-2020-04 — stands well below the twenty-two documented for 2019. Whether the lower count reflects reduced production, fewer collectors submitting during pandemic lockdowns, or both cannot be determined from the catalog alone. The physical mechanism remained constant regardless of external circumstances: die steel cracked at the portrait-rim junction, and coins struck from that die carried a raised spike from Lincoln's head. The 2020 coin shortage, caused by reduced commercial activity slowing the return of coins to banks, made fresh rolls harder to obtain for roll searchers — the primary pipeline through which new spiked heads are discovered. Cuds on Coins assigned this third entry in the 2020 sequence, documenting a die variety born during one of the most unusual years in modern Mint history.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Matthew Vallee
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References