SKH-1c-1943D-02 Spiked Head

Description

Second spiked head documented for the 1943 Denver Mint steel cent, SKH-1c-1943D-02 was cataloged by Cuds on Coins on October 7, 2016, approximately six months after the first entry for this date and mint. Like its predecessor, this variety formed through a die clash event on a zinc-coated steel planchet production line — dies struck each other without an intervening planchet, transferring wheat ears reverse detail into the obverse die and producing a raised spike on Lincoln's portrait. The Cohen Index listing notes this variety as not indexed, indicating it falls outside that reference work's coverage scope. Two spiked heads from 1943-D reflects the challenges of wartime production: Denver was manufacturing cents at an accelerated pace to meet both domestic commerce needs and the demands of military operations overseas, conditions that could increase the frequency of planchet feed failures leading to die clashes. The steel composition of 1943 cents creates a unique context for spiked head analysis — the zinc coating could affect how clash impressions transferred between dies, and the hardness of steel planchets relative to bronze may have influenced how the transferred detail appeared on struck coins. Distinguishing SKH-1c-1943D-02 from the -01 entry requires comparison of spike position, angle, and associated die markers, as each spiked head originates from a different die clash event on a different obverse die. The Denver Mint's D mint mark on these steel cents appears below the date on the obverse, and spiked head varieties can occasionally interact visually with the mint mark area depending on the spike's location and orientation, adding another dimension to collector interest in these wartime varieties.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jim Fines
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index Not Listed. 10/07/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References