SKH-25c-1996P-08 Spiked Head

Description

Eighth documented spiked head for the 1996 Philadelphia Mint Washington Quarter, this variety was cataloged on December 26, 2017, by Cuds on Coins. By the eighth entry, the 1996-P was already establishing itself as one of the more prolific dates for quarter spiked heads, a trajectory that would eventually reach at least nineteen documented varieties. The December 2017 date places this discovery within the early phase of intensive 1996-P research, following the first entries recorded earlier that year. Spiked heads form through die clash events — the obverse and reverse dies contact each other when no planchet feeds between them, and the bold relief of the heraldic eagle reverse leaves an impression in the obverse die that appears as a raised protrusion on Washington's portrait. On the copper-nickel clad quarters struck at Philadelphia, die clashes can occur at any point during a die pair's service life, though they are more common as dies age and press alignment becomes less precise. Eight documented spiked heads represents eight separate die pairs that each experienced at least one clash event during the 1996 production year. No cross-references to other attribution services exist for this variety. The 1996-P quarter, struck on the standard 5.67-gram clad planchet at 24.3mm diameter, was among the last issues before the State Quarters program revolutionized quarter collecting. Collectors who systematically search through 1996-P quarters may encounter any of the nineteen documented spiked head varieties, with identification requiring careful comparison of spike position and die markers against the Cuds on Coins catalog.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross reference: none. 12/26/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References