SKH-1c-1952-03 Spiked Head

Description

Third documented spiked head for the 1952 Philadelphia Lincoln Wheat Cent, SKH-1c-1952-03 is cross-referenced as Cohen 52-95. The Cohen number places this variety within the broader Lincoln Cent die catalog, where each index value corresponds to a unique working die whose surface sustained damage near Lincoln's portrait. A spiked head's raised projection results from a gouge, chip, or micro-fracture in the die that creates a recessed channel — when the die strikes a planchet, that channel fills with metal, producing the characteristic spike on the finished coin. The 1952 Philadelphia date falls midway through the final decade of Wheat Cent production, a period when collector interest in die varieties was growing but had not yet reached the intensity modern attribution services would later bring. Philadelphia struck approximately 186 million cents in 1952, a moderate volume compared to peak wartime output but sufficient to rotate through enough dies for surface damage to occur across the year. Bronze composition, 95% copper. Cataloged and verified by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl Williams
• Cross reference number:  Cohen Index 52-95. 06/03/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References