There are dozens of rumors and legends about people having their lives saved by some of the most mundane objects catching a bullet for them. Everything from a pack of cards to a bible to the change in their pockets. There are legends of $20 gold coins and silver dollars (the latter especially during the days of the old West) that would deflect or flat out stop a bullet before the lead could travel into the person’s body. But can that really happen?
Well, yes and no. For instance there was a young man in India who had a 5 rupee coin in his pocket, and that coin deflected a bullet and saved his life. And it is likely that, in the days of the Wild West that the ammunition being fired was weak enough that loose change, boiler plates and dozens of other things would have deflected or stopped it. But modern bullets striking coins dead center, particularly powerful rounds like the .357 or .44 Magnum to say nothing of the .50 caliber rounds wouldn’t be stopped.
http://8ate.blogspot.com/2009/10/things-that-can-stop-bullet.html
