Finding a coin with two heads or two tails can be a startling and exciting moment. It seems like it must be an incredibly rare and valuable mint error. Is it your lucky day?
While these coins are fascinating, they are not mint errors. They are a well-known novelty item called a “magician’s coin” or a “trick coin.”
This guide will explain what these coins are, how to identify them, and—most importantly—what to look for in your other coins that could be genuinely valuable.
What is a Magician’s Coin?
A magician’s coin is a clever novelty item created by altering two separate, genuine coins. Here’s how they are made:
- One coin is hollowed out on one side.
- A second coin is ground down to fit inside the first one.
- The two pieces are fitted together, creating a single coin with two identical sides.
The most common version is a two-headed quarter, but they can be made from any denomination. Because they are altered after leaving the U.S. Mint, they have no value to coin collectors.
How to spot one: Look very closely at the edge or rim of the coin. You can usually see a fine seam where the two pieces were joined together.
While This Coin Isn’t Valuable, Your Other Coins Might Be
Okay, so your two-headed coin is a fun novelty, not a treasure. But the fact that you were curious enough to look it up means you have an eye for detail—and that’s the most important skill in finding real valuable coins.
Genuine mint errors are highly sought after by collectors and can be worth thousands of dollars. Unlike magician’s coins, these are authentic mistakes made by the U.S. Mint during the striking process.
Look for these common types of REAL error coins in your collection:
- Off-Center Strikes: The design is not centered on the coin.
- Double Dies: The letters and numbers appear doubled.
- Blank Planchets: A coin that was never struck with a design.
- Transitional Errors: A coin struck on the wrong type of metal (like the famous 1982-D copper penny).
Let an Expert Eye Check Your Collection
Identifying the subtle differences between a genuine error and a damaged or altered coin requires a professional. As Life Members of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) with an A+ BBB rating, our experts can spot the rarities.
Don’t let the story end with a magician’s coin. The rest of your collection could hold the real treasure. We provide a free, no-obligation evaluation to review all your coins and identify anything of value.
Contact us today by email, text, or the form below to have our experts review your collection.