Did the SS ever seize the SAC$/quarter mules?

fivecents

I remember that a Philly mint worker was found guilty and sent to prison for making and stealing serveral of the SAC$/statehood quarter mules from the Philly mint. He had smuggled them out by hiding them in his lunchbox. The Secret Service was going to seize all of the mules that could not be traced to have been found in rolls or circulation. I know one collector owns 5 or 6 examples himself....I think he paid around $80,000 per coin. I hope the Goverment lets him keep these coins. Has anyone heard what finally happened to these questionable mules?

FC57Coins

Paul:

My impression was that they just went after the Mint worker and not after the mules - I haven't heard of any effort to confiscate these.

fivecents

Frank...I read in Coin world that the secret service was going to seize all the mules that could not be traced back to circulation finds. These questionable back ground coins were numerous. I think only two or three were actually found in rolls. The secret service was tracing back the trail of ownership to figure out which coins to seize.

Steve27

I suspect that none have been confiscated.

"Known examples (in order of discovery):
1. PCGS MS-66 (formerly NGC MS-66). Discovered by Frank Wallis of Mountain Home, Arkansas in May, 2000. Sold by Auctions by Bowers and Merena, Inc. on August 9, 2000 for $29,900.00. Reverse A.

2. NGC MS-67. Found in a U.S. Post Office vending machine and brokered by Delaware Valley Rare Coins of Pennsylvania who sold it on eBay, July 7, 2000 for $41,395.00 - Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc. "Long Beach Signature Sale", May-June, 2001, sold for $56,350. Reverse B.

3. NGC MS-66. Sold by Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc. on August 6, 2000 for $31,050.00 - offered on eBay (#1308506580) in December 2001, where it failed to meet the reserve price despite a top bid of $60,100.00 from Fred Weinberg. Reverse B.

4. PCGS MS-65. Fred Weinberg - sold by Arnold Margolis around September, 2000 for $47,500.00 - Midwest collector. Reverse A.

5. NGC MS-67. Discovered in change August 30, 2000 by Greg Senske of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Die characteristics unlike any of the first four examples listed above. Obverse: small die gouge in front of Washington's lips and a small area of die lines in the space in the field just above the hair curl. Reverse C.

6. PCGS MS-66. Displayed by Fred Weinberg at the October 2000 Long Beach Coin and Collectibles Expo. Die characteristics match those of the first and fourth examples listed above. Reverse A.

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Reverse die characteristics:
Reverse A: Perfect.
Reverse B: Die crack near the bottom of the eagle's right wing and die cracks in the stars above the E in ONE and D in DOLLAR.
Reverse C: Perfect (possibly an early state of Reverse A)"

seanq

There were two Mint workers charged, one was tried and convicted, but the other skipped bail and is still at large. The last thing I read concerning the status of the mules said that no decision would be made until this second person was located and brought to trial.


Sean Reynolds