2014 Lunar Horse Mule Error Silver 1oz Coin PCGS MS68 - RARE!

Rare 2014 GB Lunar Horse Mule Error PCGS MS68

Specifications:

Issuing Country:    United Kingdom
Metal:                    Solid .999 Silver
Weight:                 31.21 grams
Diameter:              38.61mm
Quality:                 Silver Bullion
Packaging:           Sonically sealed in plastic slab, graded and numbered

What is a mule error?

When a horse is crossed with a donkey, the offspring is called a mule. A “mule” coin is a coin where one of the sides has been struck with the die of another coin. And that’s what happened with some of the Royal Mint’s 2014 Year of the Horse and Britannia coins. The obverse (heads side) dies were accidentally swapped! The result is that “mule errors” of both the Lunar Horse and the Britannia 1 oz coins were minted. This happens very rarely, as all Mints are very proud and extremely alert to this possibility. When it does happen, the ‘error coins’ are normally destroyed (melted down) immediately. However, in this case, an unknown number of both “mule errors” (Britannia and Lunar Horse) had slipped through! The first Britannia “mule error” was discovered and reported by MCM (a dealer in the USA). The first Lunar Horse “mule error” was only discovered later.

The Royal Mint later confirmed the existence of these coins, but denied that they were errors - rather preferring to call them ‘rim decoration varieties’. (no comment).

The illustration below clearly shows the ‘crenelated’ rim (left) intended for the Britannia coin, as well as the smooth, correct rim (right) intended for the Year of the Horse coin.

Initially it was anyone’s guess as to which of the two were scarcer. Now, after one year, judging by the going prices as well as supply and demand, it became abundantly clear that the scarcer of the two is the Lunar Horse “mule error”, where an MS68 is currently selling at almost double the price of the Britannia "mule error" of the same grade. Even ungraded Lunar Horse “mule error” coins are listed at £299 (R5,000) and above.

According to the current PCGS POP report, only 56 of the Lunar Horse “mule error” coins have been graded as MS68, whereas only 3 were graded MS69 since it’s release in November 2013. Seeing that this was produced as a bullion coin and therefore packaged in tubes of 20, it is no surprise that none have been graded as MS70. In Great Britain, an MS68 of the Lunar Horse is currently selling for up to R18,000, and an MS69 is listed at R28,000! If you are familiar with the world’s most famous online auction site, go and have a look at their dot co dot uk site. Search for: 2014 lunar horse mule error.

I’m starting this auction at R4,600 - good luck!