SKH-10c-1985P-01 Spiked Head

Description

Sole documented spiked head for the 1985 Philadelphia Mint Roosevelt Dime, this variety captures a die clash event from the mid-1980s when dime production operated on copper-nickel clad planchets at high volume. The spiked head mechanism on Roosevelt Dimes follows the same physics as on other denominations: when a planchet fails to feed between the dies, the obverse and reverse contact each other directly, and design elements from John R. Sinnock's torch reverse transfer into the obverse die surface. The transferred detail produces a raised protrusion on Roosevelt's portrait in subsequent strikes, appearing as a spike, horn, or projection depending on which reverse element created the impression and its orientation relative to the portrait. The 1985-P dime was produced during a decade when United States coin production was substantial and stable, with Philadelphia and Denver sharing the workload across all circulating denominations. A single documented spiked head for 1985-P may reflect either limited die clash occurrence or the reality that systematic Roosevelt Dime die variety research was far less developed in the 1980s than cent variety research. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with documentation dated July 11, 2022, SKH-10c-1985P-01 fills a gap in the dime spiked head timeline, pushing the known range of these varieties into the pre-internet era when discovery and reporting mechanisms were slower and less coordinated.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis A
• Cross reference: none. 07/11/2022.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References