TITLE: Pairs of matroids $(M_1, M_2)$ with $\mathcal C(M_1) = \mathcal B(M_2)$
QUESTION [7 upvotes]: Let $M$ be a matroid on (finite) ground set $E$ with $\mathcal B(M)$ as its set of bases and $\mathcal C(M)$ as its set of circuits. 
If we consider the uniform matroid $U_{m,n}$ for $m,n \in \mathbb N$ with $m < n$, then we see that $\mathcal C(U_{m,n}) = \mathcal B(U_{m+1,n})$.
Question: Is there any other pair $(M_1, M_2)$ of matroids with $\mathcal C(M_1) = \mathcal B(M_2)$ that are not uniform?

REPLY [2 votes]: Claim: Given two loop-free matroids $M_1$ and $M_2$, 
  $\mathcal{B}(M_{1}) =\mathcal{C}(M_2)$ if and only if $M_1$ and $M_2$ are 
  both partition matroids with $M_1 = \bigoplus_{i = 1} ^nU_{r_i,n_i}$ and 
  $M_2 =\bigoplus_{i = 1} ^n U_{r_i-1,n_i}$.

Since bases (respectively, circuits) of a direct sum of matroids are just the disjoint union of bases (respectively, circuits) of the summands, it's enough to prove the above claim in the case when $M_2$ is connected.

Claim: Let $M_2$ be connected. Then
  $\mathcal{B}(M_1)=\mathcal{C}(M_2)$ if and only if there exist $1<r<n$
  such that $M_1 = U_{r,n}$ and $M_2 = U_{r-1,n}$.

The "if" direction follows directly from the definition of uniform matroids.
To prove the "only if" direction first let $r$ be the rank of $M_1$. Then every circuit of $M_2$ has cardinality $r$ and so by connectivity $M_2$ has rank $r-1$. So by Exercise 1.3.4 in Oxley's Matroid Theory, $M_2$ is uniform. Say $M_2=U_{r-1,n}$. Then $B(M_1)$ is the set of all $r$ element sets of an $n$ element set and so $M_1=U_{r,n}$, proving the claim.