SKH-1c-2021-17 Spiked Head

Description

Seventeenth in a prolific sequence of spiked head varieties documented for the 2021 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent, SKH-1c-2021-17 records yet another instance of the die clash mechanism that produces a raised spike protruding from Lincoln's portrait. The spike forms when design elements from the Union Shield reverse are impressed into the obverse die during a misaligned strike without a planchet between the dies — a die clash event. The transferred reverse detail creates a small raised protrusion on subsequent coins, typically appearing as a spike or horn extending from Lincoln's head or forehead. The Union Shield reverse, introduced in 2010 to replace the four rotating 2009 bicentennial designs, features strong vertical lines and horizontal bars that can leave sharp impressions when clash events occur. Philadelphia's 2021 cent production was substantial, generating billions of coins across numerous die pairs, and each pair carried an independent probability of experiencing a clash event. Seventeen documented spiked heads from a single year testifies to both high production volume and diligent collector examination. SKH-1c-2021-17 is cataloged by Cuds on Coins. Spiked head varieties on Shield Cents have become one of the most actively collected modern die variety specialties, with collectors pursuing complete date-and-number sets.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Thomas DeHart
• Cross reference: none. 07/04/2023.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References