Expert: PAPAJACK - 7/16/2007

Question
I have a 1987 P Nickel that is in really good shape on the front, but is coompletely missing the back.  It's as if the back fell off or was never there. When you look at the back, it actually has a lip/elevated band around the edge like something used to be there but is gone.  All you can see is some light circular marks that are on the back of the front half of the coin.   Can you tell me whether it is worth anything? I looked in an online coin-collector's dictionary and the closest thing I found to describe it was delamination, but I am by no means a professional--lol.

Answer
Hello Paula,              

This sounds more like the image was removed since the whole side is blank.  A delaminated coin is thinner and does not usually lose the entire side.
The first process in making a two headed coin is removing and hollowing out one side of a coin. This often leaves concentric tool marks on the coin.
If this is the case it has no added value and the piece would be slightly thinner than a normal nickel.

There is also a case where the coins are fed into the collar very fast after the raised edge is (rim) imparted to the blank.
If two blanks were stuck together it should not have gone into the feeder mechanism. But if it did then one would have the heads side only and the blank stuck to it gets the tails side only.  
Any added value would be small perhaps less than $5 as a novelty, since it is not a die error collectors do not seek them out. You would have to find a buyer.  

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Thank You and Good Luck

PapaJack