SKH-1c-1974D-01 Spike Head

Description

Recorded as SKH-1c-1974D-01 in the Cuds on Coins catalog with a documentation date of June 28, 2021, this spiked head variety appears on 1974 Denver Mint Lincoln Memorial cents. The "spiked head" designation refers to a specific type of die chip or die gouge that produces a raised spike or protrusion extending from Lincoln's head on the obverse — most commonly from the top of the skull, though spikes can appear at other points on the portrait depending on where the die damage occurred. The effect is created when a small piece of die steel breaks away or when a die gouge is cut into the working surface in the area of Lincoln's head, allowing planchet metal to fill the resulting depression and form the spike on finished coins. Spiked head varieties are a popular collecting niche within the Lincoln cent series because they produce a visually striking and immediately recognizable anomaly: Lincoln appears to have a horn, antenna, or sharp projection rising from his head. The variety is distinct enough to have earned its own prefix (SKH) in the Cuds on Coins catalog system, separate from the standard die chip (DC) designation. No additional cross-reference numbers from other attribution services have been assigned to this variety. SKH-1c-1974D-01 is the first documented spiked head for the 1974-D date, and the Denver Mint's massive production volume in this year — roughly 4.24 billion cents — ensured ample opportunity for the type of die surface damage that creates these varieties. Collectors should look for the characteristic spike extending from Lincoln's portrait on the obverse, confirming the diagnosis with magnification.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Patrick M
• Cross reference: none. 06/28/2021.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References