SKH-1c-1988-04 Spiked Head

Description

Recorded on February 15, 2017, SKH-1c-1988-04 is the fourth spiked head variety cataloged for the 1988 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent. The steady accumulation of spiked head discoveries for this date — four in roughly five months of cataloging activity — illustrates how systematically the die break community has surveyed this high-mintage issue. Spiked heads occupy a unique niche in the die variety hobby because they combine the technical interest of die crack analysis with immediate visual accessibility: even a beginning collector can appreciate the dramatic appearance of a raised line "spiking" through Lincoln's head, while advanced specialists study the crack's length, width, orientation, and relationship to other die markers to classify and attribute the variety. The die markers surrounding each spiked head — minor scratches, polish lines, or small gouges elsewhere on the die — serve as the fingerprint that distinguishes one spiked head die from another. Without these markers, two cracks in similar positions could be mistaken for the same die at different stages of crack propagation. The four spiked heads documented for 1988-P by this point in the catalog represent four separate dies, each with a distinct crack trajectory through Lincoln's portrait. Struck on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross reference: none. 02/15/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References