SKH-1c-1950-19 Spike Head

Description

Nineteenth in the extensive spike head catalog for 1950 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cents, SKH-1c-1950-19 was first reported on September 16, 2018. The count of nineteen documented spike heads from proof production at the Philadelphia Mint — with only 51,386 proof sets struck that year — is remarkable and suggests that die clash events were surprisingly common in 1950 proof cent operations. For context, nineteen die clash events across a proof run of this size implies that a significant percentage of the proof die pairs employed during the year experienced at least one clash incident. Each spike head documents a unique die pair and clash event, identified by the specific position and geometry of the spike on Lincoln's proof portrait. The visual impact of a spike head on a proof surface is considerable: the raised metal of the spike interrupts the mirror field finish, creating a feature that is immediately noticeable to collectors examining proof cents even without magnification. Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait in proof finish shows exceptional detail in the hair, beard, and coat, and a spike protruding from this finely rendered portrait stands in stark relief against the surrounding mirror surface. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with no known cross-references, this nineteenth entry further cements 1950 as one of the most prolific dates for proof Wheat Cent spike heads. The September 2018 reporting date places this discovery within a cluster of 1950 proof spike head findings that occurred in 2018, suggesting concentrated research attention on this specific proof date during that period.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Alan English
• Cross reference number: none. 09/16/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References