One of the most frequently asked questions I get regarding coins is about the two-headed variety. This question from Mark B. in Wyoming is typical:

Hi, my friend found a 2-headed quarter, and I was wondering how much it's worth. Thanks, Mark.

I think most people are smart enough to know that two-headed coins aren't right, and that they should assume such coins aren't genuinely struck government Mint products. However, their common sense is tested when they check the edge of the coin, and find that there is no seam. After all, the most logical way to make a fake two-headed coin is to saw two coins in half and then glue or solder the two heads together. So, if there's no seam on the edge, people begin to think that maybe they really do have a rare and fabulous genuine two-headed Mint error coin.

The truth is that two-headed coins are not made by cutting coins in half and gluing the heads together. That wouldn't fool anybody anyway! So, any but the most crudely made two-headed coins are created in a much more deceptive manner. But don't despair, just because your two-headed coin isn't a genuine Mint error doesn't mean that it's only worth face value (or face value times both heads!)

• How Much is a Two-Headed Coin Worth?
• How to Detect a Fake Two-Headed Coin

In case you were wondering, the foregoing also applies to two-tailed coins. :)