There are now nineteen (19) confirmed specimens of the Sacagawea Dollar/Quarter Mule. The nineteen confirmed specimens are:
Mule #1. The "Discovery" specimen, found in Mountain Home, Arkansas by Frank Wallis. Originally sold by Bowers & Merena Auction Galleries at the 2000 ANA Philadelphia Millennium Sale for $29,900. Purchased from Dwight Manley by Fred Weinberg in late June 2001and then sold to Tommy Bolack for $67,000. (TB #1) PCGS MS-66 (Die Pair #1)
Mule #2. The "eBay" specimen, sold by Delaware Valley Rare Coin Co., in Bromall Pennsylvania for $41,395 in July 2000. Purchased in the Heritage Numismatic Auctions Signature Sale, held June 1, 2001 at the Long Beach Coin Expo for a then record price of $56,350, by Tommy Bolack. (TB #2) NGC MS-67 (Die Pair #2)
Mule #3. The "Heritage Auction" specimen, sold in the Heritage Numismatic Auction Pre-ANA Sale August 6, 2000 for $31,050. Then into a private collection, after being purchased off an eBay Auction in October 2000. Owned by Tommy Bolack. (TB #3) NGC MS-66 (Die Pair #2)
Mule #4. The "Margolis" specimen, originally from Fred Weinberg of Encino, CA. Sold by Arnold Margolis to a private collector in September 2000 for $47,500. PCGS MS-65 (Die Pair #1) Serial #2711344
Mule #5. The "Greg Senske" specimen, found in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This coin was discovered Sept. 2000 in change from a cashier at a cafeteria and was in a 25-coin roll of Sacagawea $1, wrapped in a U.S. Mint designated paper wrapper. This piece is not on the market at this time. NGC MS-67 (Die Pair #3)
Mule #6. The "Fred Weinberg" specimen discovered on the East Coast in June 2000 and sold by Fred Weinberg at the Long Beach Coin Expo October 5, 2000 for $50,000 to an anonymous collector. Purchased in May 2003 for $75,000 by Tommy Bolack (TB #4). PCGS MS-66 Die Pair #1) Serial #2713061
Mule #7. The "Philadelphia" specimen, purchased by Tommy Bolack from Maryland Coin Exchange in early February 2001 for $48,000. MCE purchased this piece from the man who discovered it in a roll of dollars in July 2000 in Pennsylvania. Owned by Tommy Bolack. (TB #5) NGC MS-64.
Mule #8. The "Tommy Bolack" specimen, purchased in June 2001. The purchase price was not disclosed. PCGS MS-66 (TB #6) (Die Pair #1)
Mule #9. The "Tommy Bolack" specimen purchased in July 2001. The purchase price was not disclosed. PCGS MS-65 (TB #7) (Die Pair #1)
Mule #10. The "Treasury" specimen first reported in August 2001 by a convenience store owner who received it in payment in his downtown Philadelphia store in summer 2000. It was taken by Treasury Dept. officials in August 2001 to verify authenticity and to examine the piece at the Philadelphia Mint. It was returned by the Treasury Department in October 2001 and subsequently purchased by Fred Weinberg, who sold it in November 2001 to Tommy Bolack – (TB #8) for $70,000. NGC MS-65 (Die Pair #3)
Mule #11. The "Nicholas Brown" specimen purchased from an anonymous owner in July 2011. The purchase price was not disclosed. NGC MS-67 (Die Pair #1)
Mule #12. The "Stacks Bowers ANA" specimen, Sold @ ANA Philly August 2012 for $158,625-Purchased by Tommy Bolack after the auction (TB #9) NGC MS-67 (Die Pair #1)
Mule #13. The "Anonymous 2005" specimen submitted to NGC in 2005. Now owned by Tommy Bolack (TB#10) NGC MS-67 (probably Die Pair #1)
Mule #14. The "Tommy Bolack" specimen. (Certified in 2000) Sold @ the Heritage FUN Auction January 2013. Sold for $88,125 (TB #11) PCGS MS-66 (Die Pair #1) Serial #27200641
Mule #15. The "Tommy Bolack" specimen. (Sold 7/2016) PCGS MS-66 with original, colorful toning. (TB #12) (Die Pair #1) Serial #81319724
Mule #16. The "Tommy Bolack" specimen. (Sold 5/2017) PCGS MS-66 with pale luster (TB #13) (Die Pair #1) Serial #83932793
Mule #17. The "Tommy Bolack" specimen (Sold 3/22/2018) Sold @ Stacks' Bowers Auction (lot #2382). Sold for $192,000 NGC MS-67 (TB #14) (Die Pair #1) Serial #4483748-001
Mule #18. The "Tommy Bolack" specimen. (Sold 1/10/2019) Sold @ Heritage Auction Platinum Night @ FUN (lot #4605). Sold for $120,000 NGC MS-67 (TB #15) (Die Pair #1-not noted on label) Serial #4829000-001.
Mule #19. The "Advance Collector" specimen (Sold 9/5/2019) Sold @ Heritage Auction @ Long Beach (lot #4805). Sold for $102,000 NGC MS-67 (Die Pair #1 not noted on label) Serial #1718988-002.
Diagnostics for the three known die pairs are as follows:
- Die Pair #1: The reverse of Die Pair 1 exhibits a die crack in the F in OF in UNITED STATES OF AMERICA that is absent from the reverse from Die Pairs #2 and #3. The obverse exhibits numerous radial striations attributable to stresses involved during striking, resulting from the slight differences in size between the two dies.
- Die Pair #2: Die Pair #2 exhibits a perfect obverse die, but a reverse that shows three noticeable die cracks: one each projecting from the rightmost points of the stars above the E of ONE and D of DOLLAR and a third, curved die crack running along the wing directly above these two letters.
- Die Pair #3: For Die Pair #3, the obverse has been described as "fresh and frosty". The obverse of the Die Pair #3 coins shows just a hint of the radial lines found on the discovery example. A small die gouge appears in front of Washington's lips. The reverse appears perfect and exhibits no die cracks.
All nineteen (19) examples of the error have been authenticated, graded, and encapsulated by PCGS or NGC.
Compiled by Fred Weinberg & Co., Encino, CA.
Last update: September 2019
