Expert: Ronald Fern - 6/23/2011

Question
What could be the value of a real 1964 AU Kennedy half dollar? Thank you in advance.

Answer
Hi Kelmy:

Thanks for the question. I get questions like this from time to time.

I'm guessing you mean your coin has two heads, one on each side, and not a coin with doubling on the face. Your coin is very likely a "magic coin" used to trick people when you guess heads or tails, for you always loose when this party picks "tails". It is an interesting conversation piece, and they usually sell for a few dollars. It has no added numismatic value. If it is made from two real 1964 coins, it could have a melt value of about $13, with silver at $36 a troy ounce. The 1964 half contains .900F silver.

It is impossible for a coin to have two heads, or tails, as the obverse and reverse dies and their corresponding alignment features are different sizes. It is also impossible for coins to have two different dates, as the dies are destroyed by the mint after use each year.

If you have a magnifying glass, look closely at either the inside of the rim on one side of the coin, or the edge. The "magic pieces" are parts of two separate coins that have been cut up and glued or bonded together.

You coin will make a different sound when dropped on a glass surface (table top). A true coin will have a "ring" to it, where the magic coin, being two pieces, will make a dull sound.

Sometimes you can think you have a real error coin. Here are examples of coins either being altered or damaged.
See link: http://coinauctionshelp.com/page15.html
See link: http://conecaonline.org/content/OhNo.htm

You may also want to check Ebay listings under US coins in the error category (where they are sometimes listed) to see what these two-tailed coins are going for. You may also want to check out these links on error coin values:
http://www.coinsite.com/html/USErrorPrices.asp
http://www.minterrornews.com/priceguide.html

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Thank You and Good Luck in your collecting.