SKH-1c-1968D-04 Spiked Head

Description

Designated SKH-1c-1968D-04, this fourth spiked head variety for the 1968-D Lincoln cent carries the Cohen Index cross-reference 68D-73 and was documented on 03/18/2018. The 68D-73 designation places this in the seventy-third spiked head grouping for the 1968-D date, revealing the extraordinary depth of die deterioration cataloging for this year. The source documentation records two additional die deterioration features beyond the spiked head itself: an obverse die chip on the mint mark (paralleling the same feature found on SKH-1c-1968D-03) and a reverse die crack running from the letter R to the Lincoln Memorial building. The reverse die crack is a particularly informative die marker because cracks on the Memorial reverse tend to follow predictable paths along the architectural elements — columns, cornice lines, and steps — where the depth transitions in the die design create stress concentration points. A crack from R to the Memorial suggests fracture propagation along the upper portion of the reverse, where the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA sits above the building facade. Together, the spiked head, mint mark chip, and reverse die crack paint a picture of a die in an advanced state of deterioration, likely approaching the end of its useful service life. The 1968-D cent was struck at the Denver Mint, the first year the D mint mark appeared since 1964. Attributed by Cuds on Coins. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Nolan Workman
• Cross reference: Cohen Index 68D-73. 03/18/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References