SKH-1c-1971D-04 Spiked Head

Description

Fourth spiked head variety cataloged for the 1971-D Lincoln Memorial cent, SKH-1c-1971D-04 was documented on September 2, 2016, and represents another die whose crack at Lincoln's head produced the characteristic spike protrusion on struck coins. The steady accumulation of spiked head discoveries for this date — four varieties documented within a span of months in 2016 — reflects both the scale of Denver's 1971 production and the active examination of surviving specimens by variety collectors. With nearly three billion 1971-D cents produced, the surviving population in collections, rolls, and bags remains enormous, providing a deep reservoir from which new varieties continue to surface as collectors sort through accumulated holdings. SKH-1c-1971D-04's die crack follows the same fundamental genesis as its catalog neighbors: fatigue-driven crack initiation at the stress concentration around Lincoln's head, followed by outward propagation through the die surface during continued striking. Attributed by Cuds on Coins, this variety's specific crack angle and length distinguish it from the three preceding entries and the seventeen that would follow, demonstrating that the same failure mode — cracking at Lincoln's head — manifested differently on each die depending on the precise stress distribution, die metallurgy, and production conditions that governed each die's individual working life.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross reference: none. 09/02/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References