SKH-1c-1950-01 Spiked Head

Description

Opening the spiked head catalog for the 1950 Philadelphia Lincoln Wheat Cent, SKH-1c-1950-01 is cross-referenced as Cohen Index 50-54A. As the first documented spiked head for this date, it establishes the baseline entry in what would grow into a multi-entry series as additional varieties were discovered and attributed. A spiked head results from die surface damage near Lincoln's bust that creates a raised metallic projection on struck coins — a defect that varies in size, angle, and position from die to die, since each instance traces to unique physical damage on a specific working die. The 1950 Philadelphia cent production of approximately 272 million pieces represented a significant output that required substantial die rotation throughout the year. By 1950, the Wheat Cent design was entering its fifth decade of service, and Victor David Brenner's portrait had been refined through multiple master die generations. The "A" suffix in the Cohen Index places this within a specific classification tier. Post-war bronze composition, 95% copper. Cataloged and verified by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index 50-54A. 03/17/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References