SKH-1c-1950S-03 Spiked Head

Description

Third spiked head variety documented for the 1950-S Lincoln wheat cent, SKH-1c-1950S-03 records a die crack deterioration event on Victor David Brenner's cent portrait at the San Francisco Mint. San Francisco struck approximately 118.5 million cents in 1950, and the S-mint wheat cents of the early 1950s represent the mature phase of the series where production techniques were well-established but die utilization patterns continued to produce characteristic failure modes. Spiked head varieties occur when a fine crack develops in the die's incuse area surrounding Lincoln's portrait — as the crack opens and progresses, the resulting channel fills with planchet metal during striking, creating a thin raised spike that projects outward from Lincoln's head. The location, direction, and length of the spike vary between dies depending on where the crack initiated and how far it progressed before the die was retired from service. Three documented spiked heads for the 1950-S issue indicates that the phenomenon occurred across multiple working dies, each developing its own unique crack pattern during production. The spiked head phenomenon is particularly well-documented on Lincoln cents because Brenner's portrait occupies a large portion of the obverse field, presenting extensive high-relief surfaces where die cracks produce visible effects, and because the Lincoln cent series benefits from an exceptionally large and active community of die variety researchers. First cataloged on August 16, 2016, by the Cuds on Coins service with no cross-references, SKH-1c-1950S-03 appeals to collectors who focus on the later wheat cent years approaching the 1958 terminal date of the design. Identification requires examination under 10-15x magnification around Lincoln's head and hairline, looking for a thin metallic spike projecting beyond the normal profile contour.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Cross reference: none. 08/16/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References