PART III. Die Installation Errors:
Mules:
Regular-issue die muled with commemorative
die, September and November 1999
Canadian quarters
Definition: Mules are coins struck by mismatched dies.
Two 1999 mules from Canada’s Millennium series fall into this category. A September 1999 quarter and a November 1999 quarter pair the intended commemorative reverse (hammer) die with an incorrect obverse (anvil) die that was supposed to strike ordinary quarters with a caribou reverse. As a result, the coin carries no denomination. Thousands of each were produced.
The image below is a November 1999 Canada Millennium quarter muled with an obverse (anvil) die intended to be used for ordinary quarters with a caribou reverse. It still has a proof-like finish, though, suggesting it was polished in the same fashion as the Millennium dies.
