SKH-1c-1943S-01 Spiked Head

Description

Struck on a zinc-coated steel planchet at the San Francisco Mint, this spiked head variety comes from the only year in American history when cents were produced on steel — a wartime measure to conserve copper for military use in 1943. The harder steel substrate transmitted greater stress to the dies during striking compared to standard bronze planchets, potentially accelerating die crack formation. A spiked head occurs when a die crack develops near Lincoln's portrait on the obverse, typically extending from the head area, and fills with metal during striking to produce a thin raised spike or protrusion. SKH-1c-1943S-01 is the first documented spiked head for the 1943-S date, cataloged in the Cuds on Coins reference system. The variety carries a dual listing in the Cohen Index as 43S-20 and 43S-65, suggesting it may have been independently cataloged under two different numbers before being recognized as the same die. The 1943-S steel cent stands apart from all other Lincoln Cents in both appearance and composition. This variety was documented by the Cuds on Coins reference.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index 43S-20&65. 03/26/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References