Does anyone recognize what country this coin is from?

It’s a Thai coin worth 1 Baht.

Link

My guess is a 1 bhat coin from Thailand.

I would also say it’s called tails because usually there’s a face or head on one side and, logically, the other end from the head is the tail.

And that’s King Bhumibol, looking much as he did at the time of his wedding to Queen Sirikit.

By the way, @ParaParaYukiko you were short changed if it was in place of a quarter:

1 THB = 0.0308015 USD 1 USD = 32.4660 THB

You’ve got your answer, but I’ll chime in also. It’s a 1 bhat Thai coin, worth about 2–3 cents. The portrait is of HM King Bhumibol.

Wow, thanks for all the great answers, guys! That does make sense, there is a small population of Thai people in my town for the summer.

And @zenele, I think the coin was accidentally used instead of a nickel, since it’s about the same size. If what @stranger_in_a_strange_land said about its worth is true, we only lost a couple cents… nothing that will break the bank. :P

And there’s something to be said about physically having a coin from a faraway land, with strange markings and an unfamiliar portrait.

Monetary value aside, airports and airplanes aside, little novelties like this can help us maintain a wonder and respect for our diverse world and its varied cultures.

@molave That was lovely. Welcome… back.