SKH-1c-1960-05(LD) (LD) Spiked Head

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, SKH-1c-1960-05(LD) is the fifth spiked head variety on the 1960 Lincoln Memorial Cent Large Date and stands out for the exceptional range of additional die anomalies documented on the same die. A spiked head error occurs when a die gouge or die crack extends outward from Lincoln's head on the obverse, creating a spike-like projection from the portrait. Beyond the spiked head itself, attribution notes for this variety call attention to obverse die chips and a die crack indicated by black arrows in the reference images, along with a retained interior die break (RIDB) highlighted by white arrows. The presence of die chips, a die crack, and a retained interior break alongside the spiked head makes this die one of the most heavily damaged working dies documented among the 1960 spiked head varieties — multiple distinct failure modes coexisting on a single die face. The RIDB component indicates that a fragment of the die surface cracked and shifted while remaining attached, creating an additional zone of raised, distorted metal separate from the spiked head feature. The Large Date regular strike designation places this variety in Philadelphia's first 1960 production phase, and the convergence of four distinct die anomalies on one die provides an unusually rich study in die deterioration mechanics.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bill Carr
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References