SKH-1C-2022-03 Spike Head

Description

Cataloged as the third spike head for the 2022 Philadelphia Lincoln Shield cent, SKH-1C-2022-03 continues the documentation of die cracking phenomena on the modern Lincoln cent obverse. The relatively low sequential number compared to the dozens of spike heads cataloged for 2021 likely reflects the ongoing nature of discovery reporting rather than a genuine reduction in die cracking frequency, as production volumes for 2022 remained in the billions. Spike heads form through a specific failure mechanism: repeated striking creates stress fractures radiating outward from the high-relief areas of Lincoln's hair at the crown, and when these cracks reach the die surface between the design elements and the rim, they produce a recessed channel in the die that fills with planchet metal during striking, creating the characteristic raised spike on the finished coin. Lyndall Bass's Shield reverse, featuring a Union shield motif with the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM on a scroll across the top, continues the design that replaced the Lincoln Memorial reverse in 2010. Philadelphia's 2022 cent production numbered approximately 3.16 billion pieces — a volume that tests the endurance of every working die pair in the production pipeline. Die steel composition and heat treatment are engineered to withstand the punishment of striking copper-plated zinc planchets at high speed, but the inevitable fatigue failure of die steel under cyclic loading ensures a steady supply of cracked dies entering the variety record. The Cuds on Coins attribution service systematically catalogs these spike head occurrences as they are submitted by collectors, building a year-by-year census that serves both variety collectors seeking specific die identifications and researchers tracking broader patterns in modern Mint die performance. Inspection at 5-10x magnification of the top of Lincoln's head is sufficient to identify most spike head varieties.

Attribution History

• Discovered by William (Bill) W
• SKH-1C-2022-03
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References