What Does It Mean When They Say...mule

A mule is a cross breed between a horse and a donkey.

Sorry about that, I just had to write that.

From Heritage Auction Galleries website:

"Mule notes occur on both Large- and small-size notes. On Large-size notes beginning in 1921 when Frank White took office, new back plates were also created for notes being printed, however, the location of the plate number was changed! Detailed information can be found in "The Comprehensive Catalog of United States Large Size Star Notes" by Doug Murray.

A small-size mule is a note that has a micro plate number on one side and a macro plate number on the other. Micro numbers measure 0.6mm and macros measure 1mm high.

During the transition to all macro plates, both micro and macro plates were in use. Usually these different plates were side-by-side on the same press. This occurred because the BEP had a standard economic policy of using up obsolete plates rather than scrapping them. Whenever micro faces are paired with macro backs, or macro faces are paired with micro backs, a mule is produced.

Some mule notes are scarce, while some are not. Sometimes the non-mule note is scarcer than the mule note for a given series. Mules are an intriguing part of collecting small size United States paper money."

Thanks.
This is what I was looking at. It is a 1899 $5 Silver Certificate.
I have been wanting to buy one of these for a long time.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1899-5-PAPA-CHI...-6_W0QQitemZ230128379681QQihZ013QQcategoryZ3417QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

My currency book does not show what it is worth for that low of a grade.....

Short and sweet answer, it is a coin struck by an obv and reverse die (or in the case of paper a front and back plate) there were not intended to be used together.

everyones description is exactly correct. Here is an example on a coin, the coin that was struck with the Washington quarter Obverse and the Sacagawea's reverse. Hence the description a obverse die paired with a reverse die that wasn't meant to be paired with

quote:

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How does Mule pertain to a Note ?

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collect4fun explains that under his "horse & donkey" comment.

Yea, I knew when I was asking this question, the humor would start rolling.

Looks like there is no real answer for this and the seller of the $5 Note just don't know what he is typing ?

I think I will pass and try to get a higher grade note

Thanks all,
Tim

OK I'm outside my field here but I know the paper money specialists do a lot of study on the seriel number runs and what front and back plates were used with what signature combinations etc. I would suspect that the back plate used for that note #1187 was used for the Elliot/Burke signature combination and was not supposed to be used for the Elliot/White signature combination.