You see this occasionally in New York, although I'm not sure why. At least in this case, I don't think there was ever a streetcar line here from which it could be a remnant. The elevated 5 train is nearby; did the spike wander off one day in search of an easier life? Perhaps spikes make good impromptu tools in road construction?
Day 40
Railroad spike in the asphalt
February 8th, 2012
Good observation and comment, how could you pick this detail.
Down here in the south a lot of surveyors use them to drive into pavement for corners, section lines
or as a Point of Beginning.
Maybe the toy slayer lugged the spike around for a bit thinking it’s a toy of some kind.
They use those spikes to hold down those temporary metal covers they put on the streets to cover holes that are made during utility upgrades, etc. When they remove the big metal covers, they often leave the spikes.
Good call, Vintage – I was going to offer same explanation (you beat me to it).