Locating Information On Mule Notes

144 VIEWS AND NO KNOWLEDGE TO SHARE? I was seeking help from some you S currency collectors, HELP!!!

In short, a mule note is when a front plate from one series is used with a reverse plate from a different series in order to create a/some bill(s). This is most noticeable when *sometimes* at the beginning of a new series, the reverse plate numbers on the bills will be relatively high (greater than 100) and the front plate numbers will be relatively low (single digits). This happens because the reverse plates aren't forcibly connected with a single series, unlike the front plates which have the series and signatures engraved directly on them. (However, it can happen that after a new series starts, the reverse plate numbers are not reset back to 1 like they usually are but continue from the previous series. When this happens, I don't think this is technically a mule. It is only a mule when plate numbers were intended on being reset to 1, but a plate from a previous series was used anyway.)

However, the most popular kind of mule (in small-size U.S. paper money) happened in the 1930s, I believe. This was when the BEP enlarged the size of the plate numbers on both the front and reverse of the notes. However, some notes were made with plate number combinations that had physically tiny plate numbers on the front of the note but larger plate numbers on the reverse (or vice-versa). I haven't much about these mules memorized just yet because I generally don't collect notes that old right now. I good place to look for information on these is the "Standard Guide to Small-Size U.S. Paper Money" by Schwartz and Lindquist.

Sorry if this made no sense; it's late and I'm tired lol

Edit to add: This is what I think of when I hear the term "mule" in regards to currency, but only because of how it is used within my area of collecting, i.e. small-size U.S. currency. However, it is quite possible that mules in regards to other (esp. world) currencies could mean notes with different denominations or designs on their front and back. I haven't the knowledge of those as of yet.