SKH-1c-1999D-01 Spiked Head

Description

Opening the Denver Mint's 1999 spiked head catalog, SKH-1c-1999D-01 on the 1999 (D) Lincoln Memorial Cent is the first confirmed portrait-area die crack from Denver's production that year. The D mintmark distinguishes this entry from the parallel Philadelphia catalog, and Denver spiked heads are tracked separately because each facility operates its own independent die population under distinct press configurations and inspection schedules. Comparing Denver and Philadelphia catalogs for the same date allows researchers to explore whether die failure rates differ systematically between the two major cent-producing facilities, though meaningful comparison requires accounting for differences in production volume and die consumption. The 1999-D cent was produced in the billions, ensuring a large die population with numerous opportunities for individual dies to develop fatigue-driven portrait-area cracks. As the pioneer entry, this variety establishes the benchmark for future 1999-D attributions. Attributed and cataloged by Cuds on Coins from Denver Mint production.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Robert Oney
• Cross reference: none. 03/20/2024.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References