Trick Mules Celebrating 140 Years

2011 marks the 140th anniversary since Sam Loyd's famous "Trick Mules" was commercially released. To celebrate this event a commemorative edition has been created using the original artwork first drawn by Sam Loyd in 1871 and is limited to 1000 cards world-wide. 

 You have the choice of buying individually numbered cards from 1 to 140 or the balance of 860.  

Each Trick Mules commemorative pack includes a puzzle card and certificate card which are then placed in a protective sleeve, sealed and then placed into an antique craft envelope for further protection. On the back of each card and protective sleeve you will find Gold Authentic Sam Loyd signature labels, this is your guarantee that the item you are buying is made to the highest quality standards. So order yours today before they all sell out!

 

Commemorative Trick Mules Puzzle
Approx Size 2.3 inches x 2.7 inches
Individually Numbered Puzzles
$6.95 + 2.00 Postage
Balance Puzzles
$4.95 per Puzzle + $2.00 Postage

The invention of the Trick Mules

The creation of the Trick Mules is best explained by the creator himself and so following is an extract from Sam Loyd's last interview in April, 1911. The interviewer started by asking him how he got into the profession of making puzzles as opposed to staying in his profession of engineering.

"If you could make ten thousand dollars in fifteen minutes with a puzzle," said he "would you stick to engineering?"

I admitted that I probably should not.

"Well," said he "that's the way I felt." Whereupon he dove into the dust again and brought forth a small card about six inches square, snipped it along two dotted lines into three pieces, and passed the pieces to me. On each of the two pieces was the figure of a donkey, on the third the pictures of an Irishman and a clown, "Now," said he, "lay those three pieces in such a way that each donkey has a rider."

"Good Lord," I cried, "it's my old childhood friend, the Donkey Puzzle!"

"It is, " said Sam Loyd. "A half century or more ago I invented that puzzle, drew and engraved the picture myself, and printed the first lot at a cost of less than five dollars. Since then one thousand million have been sold. Like many other good puzzle, the idea was not worked out with great toil, but simply came from a chance suggestion. A little trick of draughtsmanship and the thing was done. Before your day it was known as Barnum's Donkey Puzzle, because Barnum used to buy great quantities each month to distribute ahead of his show. "Every little while he would drop into my office and say "Hang it all, Sam, show me how to do my puzzle. I've forgotten again.'"