I purchased an unusual coin at a flea market. It is obviously altered, with both sides being tails. One side is a Braided hair large cent (1839-1857) and the other is a Barber half dollar (ohio mint). The man who sold it to me called it a "Gamblers Coin", obviously tails win. Given its age, I can't find any history or approximate value. Any help??
Doubt if it has any worth other than a novelty. Who ever would buy it sets the value in his own mind.
That seller at the flea market is going to give the coin whatever catchy name he can come up with in order to sell this fake. Someone probably made this as a novelty just for the heck of it. You might also call it a 51c coin. Chris
Given their independent values, I can't imagine that someone today would ruin the two coins. And although I am not so much concerned with its value, I am very interested in learning some history behind it. Was this popular to do in the 1800's? or for what reason? Or am I wrong, and it may have been altered recently?
No real way of telling when it was made. Could have been as early as 1892, of course, but the two coins probably sold for about $5 for the pair in 1960, and it would have been a much cooler novelty coin then.
They are also known as "magician's" coins. Turn a cent into a half? I got ahold of some rolls of two-tailed clad quarters once and sold them as novelties, this was years ago. What a mistake THAT was! Started fielding many calls from people who found their million dollar quarter and then would get mad at me when I told them that they had little value. Amazing too, was the stories of how Grandma had it for decades.
Even if it was used "way back when", people then could tell that the edge has been shaved from the half. All bets off!
Wrong.. Whatever he paid for it is its minimum value. It was worth at least that much to him. Regardless of whether he can sell it for that amount or more.
It was worth, to him, what he paid. There is no guarantee that he could find a buyer that would pay the same amount or more if he tries to sell it.
Whether he could sell it for what he paid (or more) for it is irrelevant. The coin is "worth" a minimum of what he paid for it TO HIM. And since he was the one paying for it his opinion is the only one that matters in establishing a base value.
Some people are very crafty. You can buy double heads and tails coins on Ebay. And some look pretty good. Examples: http://www.ebay.com/sch/Fantasy-Myt...oin&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=1&_trksid=p2045573.m1684