1981A $1 Federal Reserve Note St. Louis H-A Block MULE Back Plate 679 Fr. 1914-Hm Gem CU

DOUBLE PAIRS 6s&3s

Denomination: $1.00 (One Dollar)

• Currency Type: Federal Reserve Note (Green Seal)

• Series: Series 1981A

• Federal Reserve Bank: St. Louis, Missouri (H - District 8)

• Catalog Reference: Friedberg # 1914-Hm (Fr. 1914-Hm — Mule Designation)

• Serial Number: H 36653307 A

• Signatures:

  • Katherine Dávalos Ortega (Treasurer of the United States)

  • Donald T. Regan (Secretary of the Treasury)

• Plate Position / Identifiers:

  • Check Letter & Face Plate: G 8 (quadrant position), G 22 (lower right face plate)

  • Back Plate Number: 679 (located at the bottom of the left border framing "ONE")This note is the "1st Print Mule" 

    • Why It Is a True 1981A Mule:

      • When the BEP shifted from Series 1981 to Series 1981A, they reset back plate production.

      • Standard, non-mule Series 1981A notes used the newly reset low back plate sequence (such as back plates #16, #58, etc.).

      • However, during the transition, leftover back sheets printed from Series 1981 back plates were paired with new 1981A faces.

      • Numismatic researchers and BEP records document only 17 specific back plate numbers that qualify as legitimate Series 1981A mules:

        301, 305, 306, 416, 417, 674, 678, 679, 680, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 705, and 706.

    • Your Note’s Plate: Back plate 679 matches this exact recognized list.

    • The "Changeover Pair" Context:

      • Note H 03433808 A has back plate 306 (also one of the 17 mule plates!).

      • Note H 03433999 A has back plate 417 (also one of the 17 mule plates!).

      • This note (H 36653307 A) has back plate 679, placing it directly in that 1981 $\rightarrow$ 1981A mule changeover group.

    Technical & Visual Assessment

    • Estimated Grade: Gem Crisp Uncirculated (Gem CU 65 – Gem CU 66)

    • Preservation Highlights:

      • Superb pack-fresh paper crispness with pristine fiber brightness and deep black/green intaglio ink contrast.

      • Housed in a rigid clear protective currency sleeve.

      • Razor-sharp, perfectly square 90-degree corners.

      • Completely free of teller handling ripples, counting crimps, pinholes, or center bends.

    • Centering:

      • Face: Nicely centered with generous, balanced margins all around.

      • Back: Clean, wide white borders neatly framing the reverse lathework.