• Roman Booteen transforms US coins into stunning scenes with hidden buttons, levers, and doors.
  • He combines his mechanical skills with “hobo nickels,” the art of sculpting relief images into coins.
  • Each coin is one-of-a-kind and never replicated, making them highly sought after by collectors, hobbyists, and fans.
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The following is a transcript of the video.

Booby traps and secret levers are hidden in these coins.

Roman Booteen makes hobo nickels, or carved coins.

He takes it to the next level by adding hidden mechanics.

Roman learned to carve on Zippos by watching YouTube tutorials.

He uses the silver US Morgan dollar for its size and thickness.

Each image is carved freehand.

Plans are only needed when designing moving pieces.

Mechanical parts are small and custom-fitted.

Springs, gears, and levers trigger doors and traps.

His scenes are inspired by art, the web, or his imagination.

Roman only makes one of most coins.

This makes them even more valuable to collectors and fans.