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 Replies: 11 / Views: 5,585 |
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
 The seam gives it away- two nickel halves adhered together. Still a nice novelty and I would say it is worth a little more the the two complete nickels would have been worth. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4618 Posts |
Your coin was made outside the mint and is common to see. The line at the center of the edge is the problem. The edge should be flat and smooth. If you do a search for "Two headed coin" on ebay you'll find quite a few for sale as "Magic/Trick" coins. They even have a Buffalo like yours for $5. Only a few REAL 2 headed or 2 tailed US coins have been certified and it's thought that almost all of them were made by someone at the mint illegally. The Golden Dollar/Quarter mule put several mint workers in prison. Other error coins have come out of the mint such as the large "clusters" where coin after coin was jammed into the striking chamber and caused the coins to become one large fused lump. The mint caught and prosecuted at least one worker that did this after he was found to be selling the clusters for $60,000 or more each. Almost all coins that were made without the mint's permission and taken from the premises are illegal to own and subject to seizure by the Government. Error coins are legal to own because they left the mint as part of normal shipments. The latest GREAT error was a Monroe Dollar minted on a dime planchet. It sold this week for $11,200! http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-James-Monr...em1c1cf689c1 ANA ID: 3203813 - CONECA ID: N-5637 Clean a coin that may be worth collecting? Please DON'T! When in doubt, leave it dirty!! 
Edited by Yokozuna
07/11/2011 1:43 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
I'm pretty sure the part about mint employees intentionally producing those mules and going to jail was just a rumor.
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Pillar of the Community
Egypt
3470 Posts |
to CC forum  |
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New Member
 United States
6 Posts |
Well, that sure did deflate my ego! Thanks anyway. I've found that my Mother had coins dating back to 1802, so all is not lost.
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
The ebay example was shiny new. Mine has been around for a good while. You sure it couldn't be a minting error? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4846 Posts |
positive, there's no way there can be 2 anvil(or hammer) dies striking one coin.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
I have a Jefferson nickel just like this that I found while roll hunting. The seam is hidden along the rim on one side instead of visible on the edge of the coin.  Edited by CaptainFwiffo
07/11/2011 5:50 pm
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
Why would anyone go to all the trouble of making one of these? I'm assuming it IS a lot of work?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
It's a novelty you can buy in magic shops. Kids can trick their friends for 5 seconds with a coin that always comes up heads.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4618 Posts |
Captianwiffo, Quote:
I'm pretty sure the part about mint employees intentionally producing those mules and going to jail was just a rumor. Wow! Am I glad you said that. I did more research and found that YES they were charged with several federal crimes, had to pay fines and spent time under house arrest and probation, but they didn't spend any time in jail. The "Wow" is for the last line of the following testimony. We've talked about the mint making error coins on purpose... Here are some of the details: ... One of the mules targeted for possible confiscation was specifically named in Jackson's indictment. Delaware Valley Rare Coin in Broomall, Pa., sold it on ebay for $41,395 in July 2000 on behalf of a collector client who purchased the mule error from someone else, according to DVRC's Frank Greenberg.
Watkins had been indicted on three counts of conversion of government property and one count of witness tampering, while fellow coin press operator Raymond Jackson was indicted on one count of converting government property to his own use and one count of witness tampering.
Jackson was sentenced Feb. 12, 2003, to five years probation and ordered to make $5,000 in restitution, the amount of money he was accused of receiving in payment from a collector for one of the mule errors. Jackson pleaded guilty Sept. 25, 2002, to the one count of converting government property to his own use. The witness tampering charge was dropped.
Watkins -- who faced up to 40 years in prison and a $1 million fine if convicted on all counts -- had failed to appear for his July 11, 2002, arraignment. He had been indicted on the four federal charges on June 16, 2002.
Watkins remained a fugitive for more than two years until Philadelphia police arrested him in September 2004 in connection with a drug investigation. A records search turned up the federal fugitive warrant. Watkins pleaded guilty to all charges on Oct. 26, 2004. Although prosecutors sought a prison term of 15 to 21 months, Watkins was sentenced March 10, 2005, to six months house arrest, five years probation and fined $9,250.
Coin World sources indicated that Watkins and Jackson's case was an isolated situation and not part of any larger conspiracy. Watkins reportedly told authorities that only 25 percent of the error coins that actually make it out of the Mint through legitimate or other means are accidentally made, according to sources.... If he was telling the truth 3 out of 4 error coins are made by mint workers on purpose. I guess it's a boring and low paying job! ANA ID: 3203813 - CONECA ID: N-5637 Clean a coin that may be worth collecting? Please DON'T! When in doubt, leave it dirty!!
Edited by Yokozuna
07/12/2011 07:41 am
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Replies: 11 / Views: 5,585 |
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Posted 07/11/2011 1:41 pm
