Expert: Jim Lawniczak - 11/1/2010

Question
I came across several rolls of wheat and steel? pennies and mercury dimes. In one of the rolls was a 1942/1944 double head penny with slight traces of silver? underneath. Is there any possibility that this is an unaltered coin? I cannot see any alterations on it.

Answer
Jan, it is remotely possible but very unlikely.  The most likely explanation is that it is a "magician's coin" put together to help in magic tricks.  That is usually done by hollowing out one side of the coin and fitting the other head side in the hollowed out space.  When that is done there will be a seam on the edge or near the bottom of one side where the two coins were joined together that probably wasn't polished off perfectly.  Look for it.  To be sure, you'd have to show your piece to an expert, Jim