I'm still going through my parents silver coins and I found this 1935 p buffalo nickel with a missing back. I was told that it was worth nothing because the back was missing but I thought I ask anyways. What I thought was strange was that the back even if someone drilled it off was perfectly aligned with the nickel. The symmetry of the circles were perfect. I've attached pictures, I just wanted a second opinion before I just place it back into the album and forget about it. Thank you for your help! Note: one of the pictures, I compared it with a regular buffalo nickel and this one is much thiner.
Somebody got bored and put it on a lathe. Maybe they were intending to make a two-headed nickel out of it or something. Worth 5 cents in trade, but it's an amusing conversation piece.
A lathe was used to cut away the surface of the reverse. This method is often used to make "magician's coins". PMD! Chris
It is half of a 'magician coin'. A lathe was used to cut down the back of this coin, leaving a rim. A 2nd coin was cut down on the face. The two 'halves' either snapped together or on the better ones , the machinist threaded the rims so they could screw together to hold thin things in the hollow area. I gather you don't have the other half.
Thank you! Some people have too much time...I just don't understand what would be the point cutting a nickel in two just to make a few bucks.
