SKH-1c-1944D-04 Spiked Head

Description

Assigned Cohen Index 44D-73C by Cuds on Coins, this spiked head on the 1944-D Lincoln Wheat Cent represents another die crack from Denver's prolific wartime production. The C suffix indicates the third recognized state within the 44D-73 pairing, reflecting the detail specialists bring to cataloging. Denver's massive output of 1944-D cents in shell casing brass created a large pool of working dies, and the demanding schedule pushed many to their structural limits. Spiked heads, characterized by a raised projection from Lincoln's portrait where a die crack reaches toward the rim, are among the most visually accessible crack varieties because the spike creates an immediately recognizable anomaly. The 1944-D has yielded a rich concentration of spiked head dies, making it a focal point for collectors pursuing this variety type. Shell casing brass, approximately 70 percent copper and 30 percent zinc, produced cents with a distinctive golden hue distinguishing them from both pre-war bronze and the zinc-coated steel cents of 1943.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Smith
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index 44D-73C. 09/16/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References