SKH-1c-1968D-03 Spiked Head

Description

Recorded as SKH-1c-1968D-03, this third spiked head variety for the 1968-D Lincoln cent is cross-referenced to the Cohen Index as 68D-56C, documented on 02/13/2018. The "C" suffix within the fifty-sixth Cohen grouping indicates this is the third sub-variant cataloged under that parent number, following the 68D-56B designation assigned to SKH-1c-1968D-01. The clustering of multiple sub-variants under Cohen number 68D-56 suggests that the spike position common to this grouping — a specific location on or near Lincoln's portrait — is a particularly vulnerable zone in the 1968-D cent die design, producing repeated fractures across different working dies. In addition to the spiked head, the source documentation notes that this die exhibits an obverse die chip on the mint mark, a secondary die deterioration feature that adds another diagnostic marker for positive identification. Die chips on mint marks are relatively common on post-1968 Denver and San Francisco cents because the hand-punched mint mark letter creates a localized stress concentration in the die steel. The combination of a spiked head and a mint mark die chip on the same die provides collectors with two independent features for attribution, reducing the risk of misidentification. Attributed by Cuds on Coins. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc at the Denver Mint.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Nolan Workman
• Cross reference: Cohen Index 68D-56C. 02/13/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References