SKH-1c-1951-02 Spiked Head

Description

Second cataloged spiked head for the 1951 Philadelphia Wheat Cent, SKH-1c-1951-02 is cross-referenced as Cohen Index 51-72 — two positions beyond the first entry's 51-70, suggesting these dies were documented in close succession during the Cohen die study. Each spiked head originates from a unique working die, and the gap between 51-70 and 51-72 indicates at least one other anomaly was cataloged between them. The 1951 Philadelphia Mint operated at peak mid-century production capacity, and the mechanical demands on obverse dies — which bore Lincoln's high-relief portrait against the flat field — made the bust area vulnerable to surface defects. The depth and angle of a die gouge determine the resulting spike's visual prominence on struck coins, with deeper gouges producing bolder projections easier to attribute without magnification. Collectors pursuing spiked head varieties by date find the early 1950s notable, as these years bridge the gap between wartime-composition issues and the end of the Wheat Cent design in 1958. Bronze composition. Cataloged and verified by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index 51-72. 03/25/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References