2000 Sacagawea dollar – Washington quarter mule

The 2000 Sacagawea dollar – Washington quarter mule is an error coin featuring the obverse of a Washington quarter (specifically a 50 State quarter) and the reverse of a Sacagawea dollar struck on a gold-colored dollar coin planchet. It is one of the first known authentic mule coins to be released into circulation by the United States Mint.[2]

Washington quarter / Sacagawea dollar mule
United States
Value.25 and 1 United States dollar (different face value inscribed on each side)
Mass8.100 g (0.26 troy oz)
Diameter26.49 mm (1.043 in)
Thickness2.00 mm (0.079 in)
EdgePlain
CompositionCore: 100% Cu
Cladding: 77% Cu, 12% Zn, 7% Mn, 4% Ni
Overall: 88.5% Cu, 6% Zn, 3.5% Mn, 2% Ni[1]
Years of minting2000
Mint marksP
Obverse
DesignGeorge Washington
DesignerJohn Flanagan (original) / William Cousins (modification to Flanagan's design)
Design date1999
Reverse
DesignSoaring eagle
DesignerThomas D. Rogers
Design date2000

History

Mule coins were deliberately produced by US Mint employees for sale to coin collectors in the mid-1800s.[3] However, no authentic (accidental) mules of United States currency were known to exist. This changed in the 1990s, when a Lincoln cent (dated 1993-D) with the reverse of a Roosevelt dime were discovered.[note 1][5] In 2000, Frank Wallis of Arkansas discovered a Sacagawea dollar with the obverse of a Washington quarter.[6]

List of known coins

As of September 2019, 19 examples have been confirmed, 16 of which are owned by a coin collector named Tommy Bolack.[7][8] Three different die pairs have been identified among the examples.[7]

CoinDie pairDiscoveredNotes
1#1May 2000The "Discovery" specimen, owned by Tommy Bolack. Graded MS-66 by the PCGS.
2#2before July 2000Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-67 by the NGC.
3#2before August 6, 2000Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-66 by the NGC.
4#1before September 2000Graded MS-65 by the PCGS.
5#3September 2000Graded MS-67 by the NGC.
6#1June 2000Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-66 by the PCGS.
7UnknownJuly 2000Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-64 by the NGC.
8#1before June 2001Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-66 by the PCGS.
9#1before June 2001Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-65 by the PCGS.
10#3summer 2000Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-65 by the NGC.
11#1before July 2011Graded MS-67 by the NGC.
12#1before August 2012Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-67 by the NGC.
13#1before 2005Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-67 by the NGC.
14#1before January 2013Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-66 by the PCGS.
15#1before July 2016Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-66 by the PCGS. Featured colorful toning.
16#1before May 2017Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-66 by the PCGS.
17#1before March 22, 2018Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-67 by the NGC.
18#1before January 10, 2019Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-67 by the NGC. The die pairing is not noted on the NGC label.
19#1before March 2017Owned by Bolack. Graded MS-67 by the NGC. The die pairing is not noted on the NGC label.

Notes

References