Expert: PAPAJACK - 11/18/2007

Question
I recently found a 1974 D penny taht is missing its back. It's the front & sides & hoolow because there is no back. Why would this happen & is it worth anything?

Answer
Hello Nancy,                                      

This was likely done by a machinist after it left the US Mint.
There have been a slew of double headed coins being found all over the country. The diameter on one is reduced just down to the raised edge and the coined is thinned. It is then fit into a similar coin that has been hollowed out to fit the partial coin exactly.

This could be a coin that had too much of the edge removed to bother fitting it into its mating part or the inserted part of the coin has come out.

Sorry I do not have more information for you but the coins edges would not be properly struck if it was hollowed out this way when the mint struck the coin. The coin blanks there are punched using a press and this would crush the piece you describe.

Thank You and Good Luck

PapaJack