2023 (P) Lincoln Shield Cent - SKH-1c-2023-04 Spiked Head

Description

SKH-1c-2023-04 is a spiked head cataloged for the 2023 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent. Spiked heads on Lincoln cents are die cracks: a crack opens in the obverse die and runs from the rim into the bust. On the Shield Cent series, as on earlier Lincoln cents, metal fills the crack during striking, and coins struck from that die display a raised metallic projection — the "spike" — extending outward from Lincoln's portrait. The position, angle, and length of the spike vary with each crack, making every spiked head variety diagnostically unique. With 2023-P cent production reaching into the billions, hundreds of die pairs were consumed during the year, and the chance that several of them would crack this way remained high. This entry was cataloged by Cuds on Coins. The 2023-P spiked head sequence continues to grow as variety hunters methodically search through rolls and bags, confirming that even the most recent Shield Cent dates produce these collectible anomalies at a consistent rate.

Cross References

• Cross reference: none. 06/25/2024.

External References