Fantasy, magicians, or what?

[RoyalRuby]

Sorting through a bunch of coins I've held onto for years/decades, I came across this two headed nickel. Dated 1994 on both sides, one side with a D mint mark and the other a P mint mark. Does not look to be two halves put together, but I'm no pro by any means. Also a side view of the coin, any guesses?

 

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[vpnavy]

...two headed nickel...

Until a member(s) pipes in - I searched Google and found a bunch of hits - here are just two of them...

PCGS Certifies Unique TWO-HEADED Nickel

How Much is a Two-Headed Coin Worth

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[RoyalRuby]

Until a member(s) pipes in - I searched Google and found a bunch of hits - here are just two of them...

PCGS Certifies Unique TWO-HEADED Nickel

How Much is a Two-Headed Coin Worth

​

Thanks, I did see both of those. This nickel still puzzles me though, I couldn't find anything with the 1994 date that might suggest what it could have been.

 

[ToddsPoint]

A mint error or a clever fake? I could see them putting two obverse dies in a press by mistake. I don’t believe a Denver die and a Philly die could get mixed AND a double obverse strike could be made.

 

[robertk]

IMO it’s a magic trick or novelty, not a mint error. Looks like the “D” nickel was hollowed out and the “P” face inserted. Look at the edges of the P face. There’s a double edge and an unlikely wear pattern if that were the “real” face.

 

[Red-Coat]

Definitely a ‘trick’ coin. A number of companies sell them as novelties or for use in conjuring tricks. One example:

Double Headed Nickel Coin

A double-sided trick coin is one that has been precision machined to be double-sided with Tails or heads showing on each side of the coin.

magicmethods.com

There is only one authenticated ‘double-header’ as far as I know (and three with double reverses, two of which are nickels) but they don’t have that kind of appearance:

PCGS Certifies Unique TWO-HEADED Nickel

 

[RoyalRuby]

IMO it’s a magic trick or novelty, not a mint error. Looks like the “D” nickel was hollowed out and the “P” face inserted. Look at the edges of the P face. There’s a double edge and an unlikely wear pattern if that were the “real” face.

Yeah, I feel as well that's how this coin was put together the closer I look at it.

 

[Sandog]

Does it sound a little odd when dropped on a hard surface? In the late 60's I was working in Port Huron, MI, just across the bridge from Sarnia, Ontario. In my job I handled a lot of coins and one day a nickel made a strange sound. Upon examination I found that had an almost invisible seam and I was able to pry two halves apart, one fitting inside the other. Each half had a small area hollowed. Empty. At that time I thought it might have been used to transport something across the border. Don't know if they made them back then, but today you can buy such coins online.

 

[xr7ator]

On the P mint mark side I can clearly see a gap between the rim or edge of the coin and the rest of the coin. Look at 12 oclock to 2 oclock...especially where the word Liberty is. The top of the letters are not there because they were milled away to be able to make it fit into the reverse of the other nickel.
The pic you proved blown up will tell the tale.

 

[galenrog]

On the P mint mark side I can clearly see a gap between the rim or edge of the coin and the rest of the coin. Look at 12 oclock to 2 oclock...especially where the word Liberty is. The top of the letters are not there because they were milled away to be able to make it fit into the reverse of the other nickel.
The pic you proved blown up will tell the tale.

Agreed. Seam is on the P side, and is obvious.

Time for more coffee.