SKH-1c-1952-02 Spike Head

Description

Preserved on the 1952 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cent, this spiked head variety benefits from the exceptional detail that proof striking provides — mirror-like fields and sharp design elements that make the spike projection from Lincoln's head especially prominent and well-defined. Cross-referenced to the Cohen Index as 52-74A+80 at Stage 3 of 5, this variety carries unusually detailed die state documentation. Five documented stages trace the complete arc of this die's deterioration from its initial spike formation through progressive development to its terminal condition, and Stage 3 captures the middle state — past early formation but before the most advanced deterioration recorded in Stages 4 and 5. The "+80" component of the Cohen designation likely references die break characteristics associated with the spike. Spiked heads develop when a crack or chip in the die steel near Lincoln's portrait creates a void that fills with metal during striking, producing a raised projection extending from the head. Proof coins from 1952 were struck exclusively at Philadelphia using polished dies and specially prepared planchets, and die varieties on proof coinage are inherently scarcer than those on business strikes due to limited proof mintages. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this mid-stage proof spiked head offers collectors a window into the progressive deterioration of a proof die.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference number: Cohen Index 52-74A+80 Stage 3 of 5. 03/25/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References