SKH-25c-1996P-16 Spiked Head

Description

In the closing years before the State Quarter program transformed American pocket change, John Flanagan's original Washington Quarter design was completing its seventh decade of production. SKH-25c-1996P-16 documents the sixteenth cataloged spiked head variety for the 1996 Philadelphia issue, a die crack that entered Washington's portrait and left a raised spike-like projection on every coin struck from the affected die. Supplementing the obverse spike, die cracks on the reverse add a second dimension of die deterioration, indicating progressive failure across both faces. The 1996-P Washington Quarter belongs to the final chapter of the original Flanagan design — three years later, the 50 State Quarters program would retire the heraldic eagle reverse and begin a rotation of commemorative state designs lasting through 2008. Spiked head varieties on pre-State Quarter Washington issues attract collectors who appreciate the classic design in its unmodified form. The spike stands out sharply against the smooth contours of Washington's profile, making it one of the more instantly recognizable die-crack configurations.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Pete Apple
• Cross reference: none. 02/07/2022.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References