SKH-1c-2008-07 Spiked Head

Description

Seventh and highest-numbered spiked head for the 2008 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent, this variety carries the distinction of being among the final documented die clash varieties to bear the Memorial reverse's architectural transfer patterns. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with a notably early documentation date of November 21, 2004, this entry presents a chronological anomaly — the documentation date precedes the coin's 2008 production year, suggesting a data entry correction or catalog renumbering within the Cuds on Coins system. Regardless of the administrative details, the variety itself documents a genuine die clash event from the 2008-P production run, the absolute last year of Lincoln Memorial Cent coinage. The die clash mechanism follows the same pattern observed across all forty-nine years of Memorial production: the press cycles without a planchet, the Lincoln Memorial reverse contacts the obverse die, and the architectural features transfer into the die face. Seven documented spiked heads for the 2008-P represent the most extensive catalog among the final three Memorial Cent dates (2006-2008), suggesting that the terminal production year may have experienced slightly higher clash rates or received more thorough searching. The 2008-P cent's historical significance extends beyond its spiked head varieties — it was the final regular-issue coin to carry Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial reverse, a design that had accompanied American commerce since 1959. Collectors who value end-of-era varieties find the 2008-P spiked head catalog particularly compelling, as each entry represents one of the last times Memorial design elements would ever transfer during a Lincoln cent die clash.

Attribution History

• Discovered by William (Bill) W
• Cross reference: none. 11/21/2004.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References