SKH-1c-2016-18 Spiked Head

Description

Eighteenth spiked head documented for the 2016 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent, SKH-1c-2016-18 demonstrates the steady growth of die clash documentation for this date. The count of eighteen distinct spiked heads means at least eighteen individual die pairs experienced moments when the coining press cycled without a planchet and the Union Shield reverse struck the obverse die directly. Over the course of producing billions of cents in 2016, Philadelphia consumed hundreds of die pairs, and the 18-entry tally represents the fraction of those dies that experienced clashes producing diagnostically distinct spiked heads. The Shield reverse's vertical lines and horizontal bands create well-defined transferred impressions, and each spiked head is uniquely characterized by the precise position, angle, and magnitude of the resulting spike on Lincoln's portrait. Collectors distinguish the eighteenth from the seventeenth or nineteenth through careful measurement of these parameters. SKH-1c-2016-18 is cataloged by Cuds on Coins. The 2016-P spiked head count falls within the range expected for mid-decade Shield Cent dates, placing it above the early years like 2010 and 2011 but below the peak counts documented for certain other dates, providing data points for understanding clash frequency trends across the design's production history.

Attribution History

• Discovered by David Bennett
• Cross reference: none. 12/05/2024.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References