SKH-1c-1965-02 Spiked Head

Description

Designated SKH-1c-1965-02, this is the second cataloged spiked head variety for the 1965 Lincoln cent, documenting another instance of die deterioration from the Philadelphia Mint's extraordinary 1965 production output. Spiked head varieties are among the most visually accessible die deterioration errors on Lincoln cents, as the raised spike extending from Lincoln's portrait is frequently visible to the unaided eye without magnification, making them popular entry points into die variety collecting for beginners. The spike forms when a fragment of die steel fractures away from the area near Lincoln's head, leaving a void that captures planchet metal under the extreme pressures of the striking process — forces exceeding 40 tons per strike on the small 19mm cent planchet. The 1965 cent production of 1,497,224,900 business strikes required thousands of individual die pairs, and the extended service lives demanded by the Mint's aggressive output schedule pushed many dies beyond their optimal fatigue limits, creating the conditions for increased die deterioration including spiked heads, die cracks, and cuds. Cross-referenced as Cohen Index 65-84 with a documentation date of 10/30/2017. The Cohen Index number 65-84 places this as the eighty-fourth spiked head documented for 1965, a remarkably high count that reflects both the enormous die population used that year and the active community of researchers who continue to catalog new discoveries. Attributed by Cuds on Coins. The 1965 date carries no mint mark under the Coinage Act of 1965. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Nolan Workman
• Cross reference: Cohen Index 65-84. 10/30/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References