I have a two-headed coin. How much is it worth? Well, it’s probably worth $2.95 plus postage. The coin is a "magician’s coin" – a novelty item. "You’ll never lose a coin toss with this coin," Someone foolishly, or purposely spent his or her two headed coin and now you have it. Such altered items have no numismatic value.
While it is true that 99.99999 % of all two-headed or two-tailed are manufactured novelty coins - genuine examples do exist. But they are beyond rare. To the best of my knowledge there has been a grand total of 1 two-tailed Washingtom quarter - 1 two-headed Indian Head cent - and I believe 1 dime - though I'm not sure of the series or the side off the top of my head. The odds of a collector finding a genuine example of one of these coins are astronomical.
I copied this thread to the Main Forum because I think it holds particular interest. jtwax - Thanks for the link to your site with the pic and additional info. Now a question - on your site it is mentioned that there are 2 quarters. I am of course aware of the one pictured - but what of the other you mention ? This information about 2 quarters existing is repeated at various sites around the net. But there is NEVER any substantiating info to go with it. Do you have any other info about this quarter ? This is the Indian cent I mentioned - Two-headed cent I used to have the proper link to information and pics of the dime - unfortunately my main computer is down and I have been unable to find it again. I also know of course that Mike Byers has pics of the majority of the genuine two-headed/tailed world coinage available on his site. But I have yet to EVER find anything about this mysterious second quarter. Any additional information - from anybody - would be greatly appreciated.
It should be added that, although not on a regular basis, these two headed magicians coins are in fact found on occassion in circulation! Not quite sure how they get there, but some do find their way.
Well I have heard of a few and even seen two real coins. I left that out on purpose in the original thread. Once most people find out that there are a few original coins that were minted this way, theirs must be real also. Now for the good question. Does anyone believe that the true double heads-tail coins were minted accidently or purposely? With so few examples known, were they minted by a mint employee for personal gain? As a fantasy piece? For the others who have a two headed or tailed coin.... The odds of it being real are less than Big Foot knocking on your door, and introducing hisself.
I would have to say that these coins were made by internal Mint sources, on purpose. I have not seen any of them personally and I have no additional information on the second quarter.
I left it out as well, but I have seen one that had every appearance of being real. It had been picked from circulation in upstate New York and was double tailed. Not to say it was real, but just to imply that I could not detect it was not.
Could it be possible to get the dies mixed up, so that heads - heads or tails - tails are paired when the dies are loaded in the machines? Only 20 known in history seems remarkably low, and you are suggesting that those were not accidents. I don't know a heck of a lot about the minting process, so I do not understand why such errors are not more common.
The dies are designed with "flats" that allow only obverse dies to be mounted in the obverse position, and only reverse dies in the reverse position. That's why "mules", with the obverse of one coin and the reverse of another, although not really "common", are more often found than genuine double head/tail coins.
Ya know - I've known about the design of the die shaft - or flats - for quite a few years. But there is one question I have never been able to get an answer to - just how long has that die shaft design been in use ? At least in the USA - the practice had to have begun after 1965 - since that is the newest doubled sided coin I am aware of. For many of the world mints - this is not he case at all. For they are still producing doubled sided coins. Food for thought.
