New Zealand & Bahamas: 1967 2 Cent Mule Error

Own one of the most famous and sought-after decimal-era errors in modern numismatics. This 1967 "Bahamas Mule" is a spectacular example of a Royal Mint production error that occurred during the transition to decimal currency.

The Story Behind the Error: In early 1967, the Royal Mint in London was working on new decimal coinage for several nations simultaneously. Due to a mix-up on the assembly line, the obverse (heads) die for a Bahamas 5-cent piece was accidentally paired with the reverse (tails) die for the New Zealand 2-cent piece.

Because the two coins had nearly identical diameters, the error went unnoticed until thousands had been shipped to New Zealand and released into circulation on July 10, 1967 (Decimal Currency Day). Once discovered, the Royal Mint attempted to recall and melt down as many as possible, but a small number remained in the hands of the public, making them a "must-have" for error collectors today.

Key Identification Points:

• Obverse: Features the legend "ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS" (instead of the correct "New Zealand").

• Reverse: Features the iconic New Zealand Kowhai flowers and the numeral "2".

• The "No Date" Curiosity: Because the Bahamas 5-cent die did not include a date on the obverse side, this "1967" coin is famously undated on the heads side.

Specifications:

• Year: 1967 (N.D.)

• Composition: Bronze

• Weight: 4.1g

• Diameter: 21.1mm

• Mint: Royal Mint, London

• Condition: About Uncirculated