SKH-1c-1946D-03 Spiked Head

Description

Distinguished from the 02 spiked head on the same 1946 Denver Mint date by entirely different catalog references — JCc-1946D_047 in the Jim Curto cents catalog and Cohen Index 46D-63 — this third documented spiked head confirms a separate die with its own spike formation. The different JCc numbers (047 versus 042) and different Cohen numbers (46D-63 versus 46D-76) establish that these are products of distinct dies, even though both produce the same error type: a raised spike extending from Lincoln's head. Spiked heads develop when die steel near Lincoln's portrait cracks or chips, and the resulting void fills with metal during each strike. The specific appearance — length, direction, and origin point — varies between dies because each fractures uniquely based on metallurgical characteristics and stress history. Post-war Denver production in 1946 consumed large quantities of working dies, and multiple spiked heads from a single date-mint reflect the statistical likelihood of failures across a large die pool. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, dual-reference attribution in both JCc and Cohen gives this variety robust documentation.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference number: JCc-1946D_047, Cohen Index 46D-63. 02/25/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References