Options
W@W! Did I see an interesting patient in the office today...
Barry
Posts: 10,100 ✭✭✭
He's a tool and die maker at the Philly Mint. We got to talking about all sorts of mint stuff and the subject of errors came up. He told me about the guy who made the mules, and according to him, the guy managed to smuggle out HUNDREDS of them in his lunchbox, before being caught! I wonder where they are now - sitting in a safe next to some 1933 Eagles?
0
Comments
"Senorita HepKitty"
"I want a real cool Kitty from Hepcat City, to stay in step with me" - Bill Carter
"Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."
~Wayne
Tom
Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
<< <i>the box had a false bottom.....are you a plastic surgeon?
Yes, it did, and 3 of the security guards were in on it. Part of his deal with the feds was to blow the whistle on everyone involved. He said one of the tipoffs about something fishy going on was their known error rate (to be melted) runs about 5%. At the time of the mule shenanigans, it was close to 20%, and a lot of other errors were being sold to some PA dealers, as well.
Maybe I'm a little thick tonight, but I'm missing the joke about being a plastic surgeon.
Keep watching Barry's listings for sale on ebay and elsewhere!
Good one, Tom! I did say to the guy on the way out, if he ever decides to get a little creative himself, let me know
Sure you did Barry sure.
Well let is know when you want to part with some
Rgrds
Tom
Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
<< <i>so, what is a mule? >>
I was wondering that myself.
Click on this link to see my ebay listings.
<< <i>so, what is a mule? >>
A coin struck with dies from two different coins.
There is a really cool mule with the obverse of a Washington quarter and either
the obverse or reverse of the Sacagawea dollar, struck on the Sacagawea planchet.
The mule being discussed had the obverse of a state quarter and the reverse of a Sac dollar.
If they weren't mixed into the normal bags of dollars, then someone is sitting on them, somewhere.
<< <i>
<< <i>so, what is a mule? >>
I was wondering that myself. >>
A mule is a sterile animal that is created by breeding a horse and a donkey. Supposedly you get
an animal that is not only smart but very sturdy and strong.
But, to keep it on coins, you can see that a coin mule, is two different breeds on one planchet.
bob
When are you guys planning to start releasing them???
My blood is flowing hot right now! Got to go.
bob
<< <i>He's a tool and die maker at the Philly Mint. We got to talking about all sorts of mint stuff and the subject of errors came up. He told me about the guy who made the mules, and according to him, the guy managed to smuggle out HUNDREDS of them in his lunchbox, before being caught! I wonder where they are now - sitting in a safe next to some 1933 Eagles? >>
Interesting comment about the method of smuggling but not very probable. I had heard a more plausible description about the method used, involving empty propane cylinders from towmotors that are used inside the facility. I would find it extremely unlikely that a worker would not have had a lunch box subject to a careful inspection upon exit.
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.americanlegacycoins.com
Interesting stuff, but he needs to increase the frequency of his exams. Three updates per decade isn't going to cut it!
That's cool stuff. The only patients I ever do just smell really interesting............in a bad way mostly.
I was wondering if anybody ever talks to workers from the Mint. Pretty cool indeed.
-wes
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
Also, I'd think any room in the facility where dies or planchets reside or through which they are transported would be monitored with video form many angles with 100% data retention for a long time these days. I could see this happening five years or more ago but not today. If they don't do this, I as (as a taxpayer) appalled at their poor priorities. Perhaps they do and that is how such a subject was caught.
NSDR - Life Member
SSDC - Life Member
ANA - Pay As I Go Member
<< <i>It's now 3 1/2 years since my original post and Mr. Tool and Die Maker who works at the Mint in Phila returned for another exam. We had a nice talk about the production line. He told me mules are produced all the time (by mistake) and some of them have to get out. He made a comment about the Mint sometimes releasing coins early by mixing them in other bags to generate hype and increase sales. We also talked a bit about the Wisc. state Qs and as a tool and die maker he said there's no way that someone didn't engrave those extra leaves deliberately. Interesting stuff, even if it has to do with moderns
I'd like to put my order in for a few of the Monroe OFFMETAL dollars.
I was a Monkey
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
<< <i>Am I the only person that thinks this guy is pulling Barry's leg? >>
Perry - I don't think so. Interestingly, when I first posted this thread, I got a PM from a Coin World reporter who wanted to talk to the guy. I politely declined divulging any personal information, citing HIPAA (privacy law.)
Last time I was in the Philadelphia Mint the employees had to change from street clothes to work clothes with the two sets of lockers being completely separated. Nothing could be brought in or taken out. Lunch pails and the like were given to security staff for delivery to the lunch room and never got to the production floor or any place where coins were kept. Maybe things changed at some point, but I’m skeptical of the patient’s story.
Barry, are you, per chance a psychiatrist?
<< <i>OK--it's an old post, but....
Last time I was in the Philadelphia Mint the employees had to change from street clothes to work clothes with the two sets of lockers being completely separated. Nothing could be brought in or taken out. Lunch pails and the like were given to security staff for delivery to the lunch room and never got to the production floor or any place where coins were kept. Maybe things changed at some point, but I’m skeptical of the patient’s story.
Barry, are you, per chance a psychiatrist? >>
Do they Xray them on the way out of the facility to insure that the "This is your Daddy's Watch" scenario's from Pulp Fiction occur?
The name is LEE!
<< <i>
<< <i>OK--it's an old post, but....
Last time I was in the Philadelphia Mint the employees had to change from street clothes to work clothes with the two sets of lockers being completely separated. Nothing could be brought in or taken out. Lunch pails and the like were given to security staff for delivery to the lunch room and never got to the production floor or any place where coins were kept. Maybe things changed at some point, but I’m skeptical of the patient’s story.
Barry, are you, per chance a psychiatrist? >>
Do they Xray them on the way out of the facility to insure that the "This is your Daddy's Watch" scenario's from Pulp Fiction occur?
LOL They call it a royal with cheese.
I was a Monkey
Hell, I don't need to exercise.....I get enough just pushing my luck.
<< <i>What happened to the guy that made the mules? Did he get in trouble? >>
A couple of mint employee's were prosecuted for profiting from the Mule venture if I recall correctly. The US Mint has also stated that these are subject to confiscation but so far, has not moved in that direction.
The name is LEE!
My question is... if there are "hundreds" of these modern mules... Mules of WHAT???
There are of course the Sag/quarter, but there are also 4 known (yes, 4) dime/penny mules of the mid/late 1990's...
Which brings up the question, who was the California dealer he was selling this stuff to?
And another question, aren't these illegal to own, for the same reasoning as for the 1933 double eagles?
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
<< <i>"This is your Daddy's Watch" scenario's from Pulp Fiction occur? >>
for two years i hid this miserable hunk of metal...
<< <i>Which brings up the question, who was the California dealer he was selling this stuff to?
>>
Yup. And if I was a CA dealer known for selling errors, I would not be real happy with this article that came out. By not naming the dealer it effectively casts aspersions on all of them.
Kewpie Doll award-10/29/2007
Successful BST transactions with Coinboy and Wondercoin.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
<< <i>I still think this guy's story is total BS. Either he was repeating a story he heard from someone at the mint who heard it from someone who heard it from someone etc or he was seeing how gullible his doctor was. >>
Gullible doctor for the win!
<< <i>Wednesday November 03, 2004 5:14 PM >>
<< <i>please note the date of the original post:
<< <i>Wednesday November 03, 2004 5:14 PM >>
>>
Amazing when people don't do that and someone revives a very old thread without mentioning they are doing so, eh?
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Kewpie Doll award-10/29/2007
Successful BST transactions with Coinboy and Wondercoin.