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Have you ever seen a two-headed coin?
Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t, but at any rate you may be a bit upset to learn that any 2-headed coins you find in circulation are not as rare and valuable as you may think.
Virtually all two-headed coins you find are made for use by illusionists and are not actual U.S. Mint products.
2-Headed Pennies
And if you still think 2 heads are better than one, you may be interested in learning more about the Lincoln-Kennedy cent.
While not an actual U.S. Mint coin, the Lincoln-Kennedy cent is the product of private individuals who took regular Lincoln cents and counterstamped them with an image of John F. Kennedy.
Similar pennies exist with the Liberty Bell on them, and some have the states on them.
2-Headed Quarters
So when you think of a two-headed coin, you’re probably envisioning something like a Washington quarter on which America’s first president appears on both the head’s side (obverse) and tail’s side (reverse). Right?
Well, hold on to your hat, because Washington really does appear on both sides of some 50 State quarters. (No kidding!)
These two-headed Washington quarters include:
- 1999 New Jersey Quarter
- 2006 South Dakota Quarter
- 2007 Washington State Quarter
What…?
Well, if you haven’t figured it out by now, these 3 quarters just happen to show a likeness of Washington on both the obverse and reverse of each coin — as seen here…
First, keep in mind that this design of George Washington appears on the obverse of every 50 State Quarter:
Now, onto the quarters where Washington also appears on the back…
#1 – Washington appears on the reverse of the 1999 New Jersey quarter, seen here crossing the Delaware River:
(Technically, that means Washington appears on both sides of the New Jersey quarter!)
#2 – Washington is also seen on the reverse of the 2006 South Dakota quarter, seen here carved into Mount Rushmore:
#3 – And finally, Washington appears on the reverse of the 2007 Washington State quarter:
OK, maybe that last one is a stretch. But, “Washington” really is found in one form or another on both sides of that coin, anyway.
Are these Washington quarters really two-headed coins? You be the judge. But knowing this is a great way to fool friends and maybe even win a bet… or TWO!
Rare Two-Headed & Two-Tailed U.S. Coins
While it’s virtually impossible for the United States Mint to strike a two-headed coin in error, the U.S. Mint has made the following coins:
- A unique double-headed Jefferson nickel struck with 2 obverse dies.
- A couple of two-tailed Washington quarters were also made by the U.S. Mint. One sold for $41,975 while another took $75,000.
- A two-tailed Roosevelt dime once took $45,000.
More Info About Two-Headed Coins
In addition to the links I’ve included above, here are some other resources to help you learn more about 2-headed coins:
- How Much Is A Two-Headed Coin Worth?
- How Are Two-Headed Coins Made?
- Two-Headed Coins Aren’t Always Lucky
- How To Make Your Own Two-Headed Coin
My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century. I'm a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I'm also the editor at CDN Publishing (a trusted source for the price of U.S. rare coins), editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I've contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek. I've also authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins — and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!
