Expert: PAPAJACK - 7/27/2007

Question
A friend of the family had asked me to find out some information about a quarter he had recieved in exchange for change. I can't find any information on this so I hope you could help me. He had recieved a 1974 quarter, both sides have heads on them. Was there misprints like this at the time? Also, would you be able to make a guess at how much it could be worth? I appreciate your time. Thank you.

Answer
Hello Brandi,                     

These are not real and it is not an error coin. I have experience with them and have seen them in Quarters, Half Dollars and Nickels.
These two headed, or Two Tailed coins are Trick coins, sometimes called Magicians Coins.

Without exception all the ones I have come across are machined out on one side carefully keeping the reeded edge intact, while another coin is thinned and slightly reduced in diameter to remove the reeded edge. The smaller and thinner half is then placed in the hollowed out half coin.

Look with a good magnifier and light source, where the lower field on one side of the coin, meets up to the reeded edge. They can be force fit or glued together. Another check is weight; an actual Quarter Dollar blank weighs 5.67 grams.

I have also heard of them being sawed in half and glued together, but the sawed ones are easier to detect.

They may sell for .50 cents to $2 dollars in a shop as a novelty. Again they are not rare, and are not in demand by coin collectors.

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Thank You and Good Luck

PapaJack