SKH-25c-1996P-14 Spiked Head

Description

A die crack radiating outward from George Washington's portrait creates the distinctive raised spike that gives this variety its name. Cataloged as SKH-25c-1996P-14, this 1996 Philadelphia Mint Washington Quarter exhibits one of the most visually appealing forms of die deterioration found on the series. Spiked head varieties occur when a progressive crack extends from Washington's head toward the rim, producing a raised line on struck coins that appears as a horn, spike, or antenna projecting from the portrait. On this example, die cracks appear on both the obverse and reverse, with the key diagnostics highlighted in reference images by black arrows pointing to the crack locations. The obverse crack generates the spike effect on Washington's head, while additional cracking on the reverse documents the advanced deterioration state of the die pair. Spiked head quarters have developed a dedicated following among variety collectors because the raised projection from the president's head creates an immediately recognizable and visually striking anomaly that stands out even during casual examination of circulated coinage from pocket change.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis A
• Cross reference: none. 09/14/2021.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References