SKH-1c-1945D-04 Spiked Head

Description

Discovered nearly three years after the first three 1945-D spiked heads were cataloged, SKH-1c-1945D-04 illustrates the ongoing nature of die variety research — new examples continue to surface as collectors and researchers examine previously unstudied coins. This fourth documented spiked head for the 1945-D Lincoln Wheat Cent is a business strike from the Denver Mint, produced in the brass shell case alloy used during the final year of wartime cent production. A spiked head occurs when foreign matter lodges in the die cavity near Lincoln's portrait, and the resulting void in the die face transfers as a raised spike of metal onto struck coins. The gap between cataloging dates — the first three documented in 2017, this fourth in 2020 — shows that even well-studied dates yield new discoveries over time. SKH-1c-1945D-04 is cataloged by Cuds on Coins and is not listed in the Cohen Index. Four spiked heads from a single date and mintmark reflects the enormous production volume at Denver during 1945, which created many die pairs and correspondingly many opportunities for die fill errors to develop during extended press runs.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis A
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index Not Listed. 01/22/2020.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References