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Coin and Paper Money Collecting/double headed nickel
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Question
I collect jefferson nickels and have been through thousands of dollars of them. Last week I found a 2002-D nickel with both sides were heads with the same date and mint. It appears to be authentic as I have seen fakes. Is it possible this occured at the mint and how can it happen?
Bob,
There has never been a 2-headed nickel found, ever. The way the dies are made, you cannot fit two of the same dies into the press -- the heads-side die will only fit into the the heads side of the press, and the tails-side die will only fit into the tails side of the press -- there are notches in the dies to prevent then from fitting into the wrong sides.
The machines used to alter normal coins to make the 2-headed coins these days are very precise. You need a strong magnifier to detect the seam where the two coin pieces are fit together. Look just inside the raised rim on both sides of the coin -- you should find a seam on one side.
Also check the weight of the coin. It should be exactly 5 grams -- any significant amount over or under would indicate an altered coin.
Lastly, a real coin will "ring" when dropped on a hard surface -- an altered coin will "thud".
I hope this helps,
Dan
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thank you so very much. I was hoping it was caused at the mint but I guess not. I'll check it when I get home. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Dan Moore
Expertise
My strong familiarity with all U.S. Mint coins, extensive reference library, and close relationships with many other dealers allows me to identify just about any coin made in the USA. I receive regular updates to all the current price guides -- both wholesale & retail -- to provide accurate values. So, with a good description or pictures, I should be able to identify and value any U.S. coin you have.
Experience
I've been a coin dealer since the 1980's and a coin collector since the 1960's. I specialize in U.S. Silver Coins and have an active online website -- The Working Man's Rare Coins -- http://www.workingmancoins.com -- offering information and inventory in U.S. coins.
Organizations I belong to :
American Numismatic Association Member #187770
Michigan State Numismatic Society Member #8255
Florida United Numismatics Member #19710
Monroe Coin Club Treasurer
Lincoln Coin Club Board Member
WINS Member #14
CoinMasters Member #1814
Frequently Asked Questions :
I have created a Frequently Asked Questions page on my website, where you may be able to get an immediate answer to your question. You can find the page here :
http://www.workingmancoins.com/FAQ/index.htm
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