SKH-25c-2000P-03(MD) Spiked Head

Description

Discovered on the 2000 Philadelphia Mint Maryland State Quarter and first reported on October 9, 2017, SKH-25c-2000P-03(MD) represents the third documented spiked head for this specific state design. The Maryland State Quarter, released as the seventh entry in the 50 State Quarters program, features a reverse depicting the Maryland State House dome in Annapolis surrounded by White Oak leaf clusters and the state nickname "The Old Line State." When the dies clash without a planchet, elements of this distinctive state reverse transfer into the obverse die bearing Washington's portrait, creating a raised spike that reflects Maryland's specific reverse design geometry rather than the generic heraldic eagle of pre-1999 quarters. This design-specific clash characteristic means that spiked heads from different state quarter reverses can produce visually different spike profiles, adding a layer of variety interest unique to the State Quarters era. The 2000-P Maryland quarter was produced in enormous quantities as part of the unprecedented public enthusiasm for the State Quarters program, which transformed casual pocket change into a nationwide collecting phenomenon. Three spiked heads for the Maryland reverse represents a modest count relative to the total die pairs employed. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with no known cross-references, this variety contributes to the broader record of die clash events across the fifty unique state reverse designs that made the 1999-2008 State Quarters program the most diverse design run in U.S. quarter history.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Pietro Terranova
• Cross reference: none. 10/09/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References