You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You can attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum
The Sheldon Scale is the primary system in use for determining the grade of a coin. The possible grades range from Poor-1 to Mint State-70 (usually expressed as MS-70). Every possible number in between is theoretically available for describing a coin's state of preservation, but in practice only certain points of the scale are used (such as EF-45, but not EF-47.) Learn more about the Sheldon Scale for grading coins.
One of the most common questions I get asked is about two-headed coins. Someone finds the coin in circulation, so they're sure it has to be genuine! They look at the edge, and don't see a seam, indicating that the coin was two "heads" halves that have been joined together. If the two-headed coin is a fake, it has to have this seam, right?
Well, no... In fact, most two-headed coins are very cleverly put together because they are intended to be examined by spectators during a magician's show or during some other display of clever coin manipulation (such as tossing a coin to see who buys the drinks.) One thing all two-headed U.S. coins have in common is that they did not come from the U.S. Mint this way!
Learn about how to detect the joined halves of two-headed coins, so you can authenticate these cleverly deceptive marvels for yourself.