🔍 The $50K-$138K Mule Club
1. 1959-D Lincoln Wheat Cent (The “Forbidden Transition”)
What Makes It Special:
✔ Obverse: Normal 1959 Memorial portrait
✔ Reverse: 1958 Wheat ears (shouldn’t exist)
✔ Mintage: Only 3-5 suspected to exist
Last Sale: $50,000 (VG grade, private sale)
Diagnostic Check:
➤ Weighs 3.11g (not 2.5g like modern zinc cents)
➤ “D” mint mark matches 1959-D style
2. 1993-D Penny/Dime Mule ($51,750 Legend)
The Error:
✔ Obverse: Roosevelt dime design
✔ Reverse: Lincoln Memorial cent design
✔ Metal Composition: Copper-plated zinc (cent planchet)
Key Details:
➤ Only 1 confirmed specimen exists
➤ Sold for $51,750 in 2008
➤ Weight: 2.5g (not 2.27g like a real dime)
3. 1999-P Memorial/Quarter Mule ($138K Record Holder)
Why It’s Unique:
✔ Obverse: Lincoln cent portrait
✔ Reverse: Washington quarter design
✔ Mint Mark: No “P” (Philadelphia issue)
Grading Insight:
- Only 2 known examples
- Both graded MS63 by PCGS
- Last auction: $138,000 (Heritage 2022)
📊 Mule Coin Market Breakdown
| Coin | Known Examples | Last Recorded Sale |
|---|---|---|
| 1959-D Wheat Cent | 3-5 | $50,000 (2023) |
| 1993 Penny/Dime | 1 | $51,750 (2008) |
| 1999 Cent/Quarter | 2 | $138,000 (2022) |
Investment Tip: Registry collectors pay 20% premiums for newly discovered mules.
⚠️ 3 Ways to Spot Fake Mules
- Weight Test: Use a 0.01g precision scale
- Edge Check: Cents = smooth, dimes = reeded
- Mint Mark Verification: Match to authentic examples
Red Flags:
❌ “P” mint mark on 1999 mules (none should exist)
❌ Wrong metal color (e.g., silver-looking cents)
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