SKH-1c-1950-03 Spiked Head

Description

Third cataloged spiked head on the 1950 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, SKH-1c-1950-03 is cross-referenced as Cohen Index 50-67 within the Cohen cataloging framework for Lincoln Cent die anomalies. A spiked head forms when a gouge, chip, or other localized damage to the die surface near Lincoln's portrait creates a raised metallic projection on every coin subsequently struck from that die. The specific geometry of each spike — its angle, length, and position relative to the bust — serves as the primary diagnostic for distinguishing one cataloged variety from another. Philadelphia struck over 272 million cents in 1950, requiring extensive die rotation through the production year, and each working die faced millions of high-pressure strikes that could chip or fracture the hardened steel surface. The 1950 date falls in the latter decade of the Wheat Cent's half-century run, when Victor David Brenner's iconic wheat-ears reverse was approaching its final years before replacement by the Memorial design in 1959. Bronze composition, 95% copper. Cataloged and verified by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index 50-67. 03/18/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References