SKH-25c-1999P-05(NJ) Spiked Head

Description

Four spiked head varieties on the 1999-P New Jersey State Quarter in a single batch — SKH-25c-1999P-05(NJ) is the fifth cataloged entry — point to production conditions at Philadelphia that were conducive to die deterioration near Washington's portrait. The clustering on a single date-mint is noteworthy because it suggests either a systemic factor such as die steel hardness, hubbing pressure, or production speed that predisposed multiple dies to develop similar defects, or simply the intensity of collector scrutiny that the wildly popular State Quarter program attracted. Each cataloged spiked head represents a unique die whose spike differs in position, angle, and severity from the others in the series. The New Jersey quarter's reverse design by Alfred Maletsky depicts Washington standing in a Durham boat amid floating ice, and while the spiked head varieties occur on the shared obverse, the state-specific reverse gives each entry its geographic and historical context. Philadelphia Mint production. Cataloged and verified by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jeff Ylitalo
• Cross reference: none. 08/15/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References