The sun., 1909-02-28
some RARE "MULED" COINS
COLLECTORS TERN FOR 4 PIECE
STRUCK FROM TWO DIES.
The Earliest Known Is n Continuation OF
the HIgley Threepence and "Con-
federatiO" Cent Valued at $500
Rare specimens of Recent Dates.

The Earliest known Is n Continuation o.
the HIgiey Threepence and a Con
feterntiO" Cent Valued AT $500
Rare specimens of Recent Dates
A valuable muled copper coin OF the
Colonial series, owned by the well known
New England collector Joseph G. Mitchell
son OF Tarffvillc, Conn, which is valued
ot 500. illustrates a curious custom
which has been in vogue ever since coin.
age dies were first made of striking a
coin specimen from two different dies.
This cis:om has given rise to the term
mule which actually means coin
struck from the diverse die OF one va
riety and the reverse die Of another. or
from combination Of two dies. Muled
coins are usually very rare and collectors
place a high value on them.
The mule owned by Mr.. Nicholson
dates back further than any similar piece
the dies of which have been made in this
country. On the diverse is design Of a
figure Of a standing deer around which
is inscribed The Value Of Threepence.
This design was used on the first copper
coin to be made in the American Colonies
having been struck at Cranky, Conn.
In 1897 by a blacksmith named John
Higley 1t bore on the reverse instead
OF the usual Higley design Of three
crowned hammers or a broadaxe, the
design borne hy n coin that first came
into being in 1855. The latter piece was
one Of the ~Confederatio' pattern cents
issued in New York and said 10 have been
minted at the private establishment Of
Machin \ Co of Newburph
In all likelihood, however the dies OF
The Confederate" coin came from Bir-
mingham, England, from which place
most OF the Colonial coins emanated
This design showed thirteen stars in the
centre of the field, surrounded by glory
Of rays the inscription around the border
Of the reverse reading "Condeferatio,
i7s5.' This wsS well known reverse
design Of one Of the Confederate" coin
series How the mule came to be made
no one knows, but the piece shows the
interesting fact that the dies OF the Higley
coins we're in existence long after that
early coin maker had closed his private
ininting establishment.
The coin first came into the possession
'of Robert X. Idler of Philadelphia some
years ago. who had obtained the piece
from a jeweler named Joseph Ling. The
latter had kept the coin in his trunk for
thirty-fye years unaware of it's value.
From llr. ldlers hands il passed into
those of Mr.. Nicholson. Another speci-
men of this Connecticut-New York cent
recently came into the possession Of
Thomas l.. Elder Of this city.
Another Colonial "mue' is the extremely
rare piece termed the Washington Jer-
sey" cent. This copper coin was dis
covered by another Philadelphia coin
dealer, Y. ". Haseltine, some years ago
among lot of common copper pieces. 0
On the diverse was the portrait Of Wash .
ington. with the words Gen. Washing
ton" instead Of the familiar device Of a
plough and horses head, with the legend
sNoya CPsarea." which is regularly borne
hy the New Jersey cents of the Confed-
Grafton times. The reverse bore the custo-
mary New Jersey device Of shield and
the motto "E Pluribus Unum." This
variety. which FOR a long period of years
was regarded as unique, sold for $500 the
last time il was offered for sale. II is not
unique, however. as Lyman n. Low, the
Hnmismatic expert Of this city, says that
UN fNtH lidttl huplIfl SIftuilfU'
Associated with the Colonial copper
'nlules' Is very rare coin IN gold which
is nov exhibited AT the Philadelphia mint.
About the same time that the "Confei-
cratic }" coins came into notice Thomas
Wyon. the English die maker. Of Birming-
ham made the dies Of "A copper coin called
the Immune Columbia piece from which I
we're TO he struck coins intended 10 crCr-
late here in America. The device on the
o)verse showed the seated figure Of a ,
female holding a staff surmounted by
liberty cap in her left hand and pair ~ {
balances in the right The date was
-i7sS," while around the border was in :
scribed Immune Columbia"
The reverse Of this particular immune
coin vas that of the NOVA Constellatio"
design. patterned after the silver coins
u this description Of the denominations
n dollar half dollar and dime which a ,
sh1rt time before hgd been made in this ,
coLntry through tho instrunentality of v
Robert Morris. and submitted as patterns !
Tor a United States coinage. the first Of 9
this charactsr ID be made but which were /
not adopted.
Not satisfied with striking those coins +
In copper, specimens IN gold and silver i
also were struck, although il is supposed q
that only one in gold was made. This I
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