SKH-1c-1967-01 Spiked Head

Description

The first cataloged spiked head variety for the 1967 Lincoln cent in the sequential numbering system, SKH-1c-1967-01 is cross-referenced to the Cohen Index as 67-55E with a documentation date of March 31, 2016. The Cohen Index is a specialized die deterioration catalog that systematically numbers spiked head varieties by date, and the designation 67-55E places this within the fifty-fifth grouping for the 1967 date, with the "E" suffix indicating a specific sub-variant within that group. The Cohen numbering reveals the remarkable depth of spiked head documentation for 1967: at least fifty-five distinct groupings (many with multiple sub-variants) have been identified, a testament to both the vast die population consumed during the year's production of over three billion cents and the dedication of researchers who examine coins from this date in search of new varieties. Spiked heads form through die deterioration near Lincoln's portrait, where the sculpted depth of the bust creates stress concentrations in the die steel. As a die accumulates strikes, the repeated compressive loading nucleates cracks at these stress points, and when a crack propagates to the die surface, the resulting chip or fracture captures planchet metal and produces the characteristic raised spike on struck coins. The 1967 cent was the final issue without mint marks under the Coinage Act of 1965. Attributed by Cuds on Coins. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference: Cohen Index 67-55E. 03/31/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References