SKH-1c-2017P-02 Spiked Head

Description

Second documented spiked head for the 2017 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent, this die clash variety was documented remarkably early — on June 7, 2017, within months of the coins entering circulation. A secondary die marker in the form of a die crack on the reverse provides additional attribution support beyond the primary spiked head feature. The spike forms through the standard die clash mechanism: during high-speed coining operations, a planchet fails to feed between the dies, and the obverse and reverse contact each other directly. The Union Shield reverse's bold geometric elements — vertical lines representing the states bound together, horizontal bands symbolizing congressional authority — impress into the obverse die surface, creating a raised protrusion from Lincoln's portrait on subsequent strikes. The 2017-P cent carries a special distinction as the first Philadelphia Mint cent to bear a P mint mark — previously, Philadelphia coins carried no mint mark, but the Mint added the P beginning in 2017 to commemorate the 225th anniversary of the U.S. Mint's founding. This makes 2017-P spiked heads of particular interest to collectors who value the intersection of die variety attribution with a notable mint mark policy change. The reverse die crack noted as a secondary marker indicates that this die pair experienced multiple forms of deterioration — both the clash that produced the spike and a separate fracture in the reverse die surface. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the rapid documentation of this variety within months of production demonstrates the modern die variety community's capacity for near-real-time cataloging.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross reference: None noted. Die Crack on reverse. 06/07/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References