SKH-1c-1972-01 Spiked Head

Description

The first documented spiked head variety for the 1972 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent, SKH-1c-1972-01 was attributed by the Cuds on Coins team on March 22, 2016. This variety carries a cross-reference to the James Corbin spiked head numbering system as JCc-1972_87 — an alternative catalog maintained by a specialist researcher who independently documented spiked head varieties with a different organizational methodology. The dual-catalog documentation (both Cuds on Coins and Corbin) strengthens attribution confidence and connects this variety to the broader body of spiked head research. A spiked head occurs when a die crack develops at or near the highest point of Lincoln's portrait on the obverse die and propagates toward the die face, creating a channel that fills with metal during striking and produces a raised spike or horn projecting from Lincoln's head on the resulting coins. The Philadelphia Mint's 1972 production of approximately 2.93 billion cents demanded sustained high-volume die usage, creating conditions favorable for the fatigue-driven cracking that produces spiked heads. As the first-numbered variety in the 1972-P spiked head catalog, SKH-1c-1972-01 likely represents one of the earlier-discovered or more prominent specimens — a variety with a spike geometry (angle, length, and origin point) distinct from the ten subsequently documented entries for this date and mint.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference: JCc-1972_87. 03/22/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References