SKH-25c-1996P-06 Spiked Head

Description

Sixth entry in the prolific spiked head catalog for the 1996 Philadelphia Mint Washington Quarter, SKH-25c-1996P-06 was cataloged on April 17, 2017, by Cuds on Coins. At the sixth documented die clash for this date, the 1996-P was already demonstrating the exceptional productivity that would eventually yield nineteen or more cataloged spiked heads. Each entry records a distinct die pair that experienced a planchet feed failure, allowing the obverse and reverse dies to make contact and transfer the heraldic eagle reverse design into the obverse die surface. The resulting raised spike on Washington's portrait provides the visual signature, while subtle differences in spike geometry and accompanying die markers distinguish each variety within the growing sequence. No cross-references to other attribution systems have been established for this specific entry. The consistent documentation of 1996-P spiked heads across a span from February 2017 through November 2024 demonstrates the ongoing nature of die variety research — new discoveries continue to be reported as collectors acquire and examine coins from this date through roll hunting, estate purchases, and circulation finds. The Washington Quarter's copper-nickel clad composition, standard since 1965, ensured durable dies that could sustain high strike counts before replacement, and each die pair that survived long enough to experience a clash event contributed to the growing variety catalog. Collectors building a comprehensive 1996-P spiked head set face the challenge of distinguishing between multiple similar but distinct varieties.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Andrew Wojtowich
• Cross reference: none. 04/17/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References