# Do I have a valuable coin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389 "2005-10-22T04:03:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/1 "2005-10-22T04:03:53Z")
I found a rather strange quarter this evening. First off, it’s two-headed. Then, it’s two different years. And (IMO), it looks like one side has a “D” (Denver) stamp and the other a “P” (Philadelphia). It’s got the typical quarter’s silver/copper/silver layering, a ridged rim. And the two George’s aren’t offset by 180[sup]o[/sup] like the normal head & tails, but more like 135[sup]o[/sup]. So, is this a major boo-boo made by one of the mints that mistakenly got out in public, or is it a novelty item that’s not really a quarter at all? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/2 "2005-10-22T04:20:09Z")
[Two headed quarters](http://images.google.com/images?q=%22two%20headed%20quarter%22&sourceid=mozilla-search&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&tab=wi) One site sells them for $7.49, with this description: > [@](#): > > Precision cutting slices two genuine quarters in half so two heads are obtained, the two heads are then carefully placed together making a double headed quarter, aka Two Headed Quarter. Picture is example and the two headed coin you get might have a different dates. Think of the fun you could have with this at parties, the office or with that big mouth neighbor! Keep your double headed quarter with you and never lose a bet again! ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/3 "2005-10-22T04:20:35Z")
This web site sells them: [http://www.prankplace.com/quarter.htm](http://www.prankplace.com/quarter.htm) ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/4 "2005-10-22T05:58:35Z")
[The Coin Site](http://www.coinsite.com/) has answers to such questions. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/5 "2005-10-22T06:37:22Z")
So then where are all the coins with two tails??? ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/6 "2005-10-22T08:05:09Z")
With your missing socks having coffee with Elvis. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/7 "2005-10-22T13:22:56Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > So then where are all the coins with two tails??? Ever shop at _Big Lots_? ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/8 "2005-10-24T12:18:51Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > [Two headed quarters](http://images.google.com/images?q=%22two%20headed%20quarter%22&sourceid=mozilla-search&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&tab=wi) > > One site sells them for $7.49, with this description: Hmmm… that sounds a lot like what I got. Darn! I thought I was onto something. The workmanship is quite good. I dont see the seam at all where they put the two halves back together. However, one side does have a slight circular indent right next to the rim, probably evidence of where they hammered it back together. But isn’t defacing coins like this illegal? Or is it along the lines of those penny-squishing machines you see at tourist gift shops? ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/9 "2005-10-24T12:55:03Z")
> [@AWB](#): > > But isn’t defacing coins like this illegal? Only if done fraudulently: > [@](#): > > United States Code > TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 17 > § 331. Mutilation, diminution, and falsification of coins > > Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, > falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of > the United States, or any foreign coins which are by law made current > or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States; > or whoever fraudulently possesses, passes, utters, publishes, or > sells, or attempts to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or brings into > the United States, any such coin, knowing the same to be altered, > defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished, falsified, scaled, or > lightened— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than > five years, or both. Those two-headed coins are produced for prank purpuses, not to use them fraudulently, so it’s alright. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-a-valuable-coin/327389/10 "2005-10-24T17:09:27Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > Only if done fraudulently… > > Those two-headed coins are produced for prank purpuses, not to use them fraudulently, so it’s alright. Ah, since whoever gave it to me as money didn’t do it on purpose (probably didn’t realize it was 2-headed), they’re not liable. (If it were their coin that they’d bought from that prank store, they wouldn’t’ve wanted to blow $7.49 just to give me $0.25 more tip.) I actually see it as providence: I was at a Math Teachers’ conference earlier in the day, and went to a probability seminar. Afterward, I was thinking how to teach my class probability when it came up in the curriculum. Then behold! I get a 2-headed coin! Can’t wait until we teach estate planning and see what falls in my lap then. 🙂