2021 (P) Lincoln Shield Cent - SKH-1c-2021-03 Spiked Head

Description

The progression from die crack to spike to cud to die failure describes a continuum of increasing die deterioration, and SKH-1c-2021-03 is at a specific stage in that sequence. A spiked head represents a mid-stage phenomenon: the die has cracked sufficiently to allow metal to flow into the void and create a visible spike, but has not yet progressed to the stage where the crack extends to the rim and produces a cud—the larger, rim-connected die breaks that give Cuds on Coins its name. Understanding this progression helps collectors contextualize where spiked heads fall in the broader taxonomy of die failure varieties. It also raises the possibility that some spiked heads are early-state precursors to cuds that may have been documented later in the same die's lifespan. For the 2021 (P) Lincoln Shield Cent, the existence of both cataloged spiked heads and separately cataloged cuds on Cuds on Coins implies that multiple stages of die failure have been observed and recorded across this date.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 09/28/2021.

External References