SKH-1c-2016D-02 Spiked Head

Description

Distinguishing between multiple spiked heads from the same date and mint requires careful attention to the specific characteristics of each spike: its angle of projection, its length, its base position on the portrait, and any accompanying die cracks or markers in the surrounding field. SKH-1c-2016D-02 on the 2016 (D) Lincoln Shield Cent is the second cataloged spiked head from Denver's 2016 production, and its attribution rests on demonstrating that the spike originated from a different obverse die than the one responsible for SKH-1c-2016D-01. Two dies may crack in similar locations on the portrait—both near the top of Lincoln's head, for instance—but the precise trajectory and width of the resulting spikes will differ because no two dies fracture identically. Experienced Cuds on Coins attributors compare submissions against existing catalog photographs to confirm that a new submission represents a genuinely distinct die, and the sequential -02 designation confirms that this comparison was performed and the variety was validated as unique.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Soren Rollin
• Cross reference: none. 08/08/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References