Expert: PAPAJACK - 5/20/2009

Question
I have a 2 headed quarter it is the same size and weight as regular quarter with ridges on the side 1996 on 1 side and I think it says 1981 (although it looks more like 1081) on the other side. Both heads are facing left, the hair looks smoother on the earlier date side.

Answer
Hello Annie,

You can be sure this is an altered coin since the dies used were from 2 different dates as well.  

They are not rare and it is not an error coin. I have experience with these coins and have seen them in Quarters, Half Dollars and Nickels.  

These two headed, or Two Tailed coins are Trick coins, sometimes called Magicians Coins.

All the ones I have come across are machined out on one side carefully keeping the edge intact, while another coin is thinned and slightly reduced in diameter to remove the outer 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 edge. They can be force fit or glued together. Another check is weight; an actual nickel blank weighs 5 grams.

Sometimes they are made as a novelty to sell, or to fool people on a coin toss, or just a machinist apprentice practicing his trade. 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 and up to $2 dollars in a shop. Again they are not rare, and are not in demand by coin collectors.

The modern process the US Mint uses makes it virtually impossible for an HEADS (obverse) die to be matched with anything but a TAILS (reverse) die in the presses used to stamp out coins.

If you still want a dealer to look at the piece for you just write and  give me the nearest large Cities, some postal zip codes and telephone area codes I will refer you to an expert in your area.

Thank You and Good Luck,

PapaJack