Spiked Head (SKH)

A spiked head is a die crack or die break specific to Lincoln cents that creates a raised spike or horn protruding from Lincoln's head. The crack extends from the portrait through the field, forming a dramatic projection that gives the variety its name. Spiked head Lincoln cents are popular with collectors due to their visual novelty — the spike transforms Lincoln's familiar profile into something immediately recognizable and distinctive. The variety exists across many dates and mint marks in the Lincoln cent series, with some examples more dramatic than others.

How Does It Happen?

The spiked head forms through the same die crack mechanism that produces all die cracks, but its specific appearance results from the crack's location and direction:

1. Crack initiation at the portrait: A die crack originates at or near the high point of Lincoln's head on the die. The portrait is one of the deepest-cut features on the die face, and the transition between the deeply recessed head and the surrounding field creates a stress concentration zone.
2. Upward propagation: The crack propagates from the portrait outward into the field above Lincoln's head. The direction is typically upward (toward the rim) or upward and slightly to the left or right, following the die steel's fracture path.
3. Spike formation: As the crack opens, planchet metal fills it during striking, producing a raised line. Because the crack extends from a high-relief design element (the top of the head) into the flat field, the resulting raised line projects upward from the portrait like a spike or horn.
4. Continued production: The die remains in service with the crack, producing hundreds or thousands of coins with the spike before retirement. Different specimens show the spike at various stages — some from early in the crack's development (thin spike) and others from later states (wider, more prominent spike).

The "spike" effect is specific to cracks that originate from the top or crown area of Lincoln's head and extend into the field. Cracks in other directions from the portrait — downward toward the chin, laterally toward LIBERTY or IN GOD WE TRUST — do not produce the spiked head effect and are classified as ordinary die cracks.

How to Identify a Spiked Head

Spiked head cents have clear diagnostic features:

• Spike location: The raised projection extends from the top or crown area of Lincoln's head into the field above. It must originate from the portrait — a die crack in the field that does not connect to the head is not a spiked head.
• Raised profile: The spike is raised above the coin's field, consistent with metal filling a die crack. An incuse line (scratched into the coin) is post-strike damage.
• Direction: The spike points generally upward — away from the portrait toward the rim. The exact angle varies by die, but the upward directionality is characteristic.
• Length variation: Spikes range from short projections barely extending beyond the hairline to dramatic long spikes that reach partway to the rim. Longer, more prominent spikes are more desirable.
• Associated cracking: Spiked head dies often show additional die cracks elsewhere on the obverse. The spike is part of the die's broader deterioration pattern, not an isolated event.
• Lincoln cent only: The spiked head designation applies exclusively to Lincoln cents. Similar die crack projections on other denominations' portraits are classified as die cracks.

Strength Classification

Collectors classify spiked heads by prominence:

• Major spike: Extends well into the field, clearly visible without magnification, dramatically changes the coin's appearance
• Moderate spike: Visible to the naked eye with close inspection, extends noticeably beyond the hair detail
• Minor spike: Requires magnification to see clearly, extends only slightly beyond the normal portrait boundary

Notable Examples

1955 Lincoln Cent Spiked Head

Spiked head varieties from 1955 are among the most collected, partly because of the date's association with the famous 1955 doubled die obverse. While the spiked head and the doubled die are separate die varieties from different dies, the 1955 date's popularity carries over to other varieties from that year.

1960-D Small Date Spiked Head

The 1960-D Small Date Lincoln cent with a spiked head combines two collected attributes — the scarcer small date variety and the spiked head die crack. This combination drives demand beyond what either variety alone would generate.

1994 Lincoln Cent Spiked Head

A particularly dramatic spiked head variety from 1994 Philadelphia features a long, prominent spike extending well above Lincoln's head. This variety is frequently illustrated in error coin references and has become one of the standard examples shown to new collectors.

1998 Lincoln Cent "Horned Head"

Certain 1998 Lincoln cent dies produced pronounced spiked heads that collectors nicknamed "Horned Head" varieties. The term "horned" reflects the visual resemblance to a horn or antenna projecting from the portrait. Multiple dies from this year showed the variety.

2000s Memorial and Shield Cents

Spiked head varieties continue to appear on modern Lincoln cents. Both the Memorial reverse era (through 2008) and the Shield reverse era (2010-present) have produced documented spiked head die states, confirming that the variety is a persistent feature of Lincoln cent production.

Collecting Tips

• Date set potential: Like BIE errors, spiked heads can be collected as a date set — one example from each year available. Because spiked heads appear across the full span of Lincoln cent production, this is a long-term project with many dates to pursue.
• Affordability: Common-date spiked heads in circulated grades are inexpensive — typically a few dollars for a clear example. This makes the variety accessible to collectors at every budget level. Premium prices apply to dramatic spikes on better dates or in high grades.
• Spike prominence drives value: The longer, wider, and more visually dramatic the spike, the more valuable the coin. A barely visible spike on a common date has minimal premium, while a dramatic "horn" on the same date is worth considerably more.
• Cherry-picking: Spiked heads are underrecognized in dealer stocks and bulk lots. Examining Lincoln cents under magnification, specifically checking the area above Lincoln's head, is a productive cherry-picking strategy.
• Complementary collecting: Many collectors pursue spiked heads alongside BIE errors, as both are Lincoln cent-specific die damage varieties that can be found through the same examination process. The two varieties make natural companions in a collection.
• Grading service attribution: PCGS and NGC attribute some well-known spiked head varieties on their holders. Having a significant spiked head professionally attributed adds value and marketability.
• Circulation finds: Unlike many error types that are best found in mint products, spiked heads are commonly discovered in circulation. The raised spike survives normal wear better than some other die crack evidence because it is located in a protected area above the portrait.

Related Error Types

• Die Crack (DCK) — The general category; spiked heads are a specific die crack subtype
• BIE Die Break Cent (BIE) — Another Lincoln cent-specific die damage variety
• Die Break (DBK) — Severe spiked heads where die material has separated
• Die Chip (DIC) — Small die material loss, sometimes near the portrait
• Shattered Die (SHD) — Extreme cracking that can include spiked head features
• Cud (CUD) — Major die break at the rim, a more severe failure