What is my note worth?
What exceptions might make my note more valuable?
What is a STAR Note?
What is an ERROR note?
What is considered an Interesting Serial Number?
Who are the people depicted on US small size notes?
Why does my note have HAWAII printed on it?
Why does my Silver Certificate have a yellow seal?
What is a Short Snorter? Or, I have a 1935 series
Silver Certificate with several signatures on it.
What is the symbol located at the
end of the serial number called?Q:
What is my note worth?
A: If your note is in the list
below, it is worth very little over face value in circulated condition. The
same notes are quite collectable in uncirculated condition with no folds or
bends of any kind. There are a few differences between some of these notes
and the currently issued notes. For example, the missing "IN GOD WE TRUST".
The values listed below are approximate retail values. A dealer purchasing
your note would offer 20%-40% off of, the retail price minus the face value.
See EXCEPTIONS.
| Denomination/Type |
Series |
Circulated |
Uncirculated |
| $1 Silver Certificate |
1935A-1935H, 1957-1957B |
$1.25 |
$2.50-$6.00 |
| $2 United States Note |
1953-1953C, 1963-1963A |
$2.40 |
$5.00-$10.00 |
| $2 Federal Reserve Note |
1976 |
$2.00 |
$2.50 |
| $5 Silver Certificate |
1953-1953B |
$6.50 |
$9.00-$15.00 |
| $5 United States Note |
1928B, C, E, F |
$6.50 |
$12.00-$20.00 |
| $5 United States Note |
1953-1953C, 1963 |
$6.50 |
$9.00-$15.00 |
| $5 Federal Reserve Note |
1934-1934D, 1950-1950E |
$5.00-$8.00 |
$10.00-$18.00 |
| $10 Federal Reserve Note |
1934-1934D, 1950-1950E |
$10.00-$14.00 |
$16.00-$35.00 |
| $20 Federal Reserve Note |
1934-1934D, 1950-1950E |
$20.00-$25.00 |
$28.00-$45.00 |
| $500 Legal Tender Note |
1862 |
|
$233,750.00 * |
* New price record set at the Fall 1997 CAA auction.
Q:
What
exceptions might make my note more valuable?
A:
Star notes,
Error notes, and notes with
interesting
serial numbers are always highly collectable and may increase the value
of the note.
Q:
What is a
STAR Note?
A: A STAR Note is a note with
a STAR (*) in the prefix or suffix position of the serial number. These
notes are typically used to replace a note damaged during the printing
process to maintain the correct count of notes in a serial number run. Packs
of STAR notes are sometimes released when the supply is greater than what's
needed. Since STAR notes are much more uncommon, they are prized by
collectors.
Q:
What is an
ERROR note?
Click here for Currency Errors
A: From The US Error Note
Encyclopedia: "A Currency Error is any note that does not meet the
minimum quality standards of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing but still
somehow manages to escape being pulled during the many human and mechanical
inspections." These errors include; cutting errors, folds and tears, inking
errors, missing prints, etc. Check your notes and look for anything that's
different. For more information on errors, see:
The US Error Note
Encyclopedia
Q:
What is
considered an Interesting Serial Number?
A: Some examples of
collectable serial numbers are; low numbers (A00000035A), radar notes which
are the same forwards and backwards (A12344321A), 6-8 same digits
(A33333333A, A16444444A), special numbers (A00001776A, A19970000A), etc.
Basically, any strange or interesting serial number combination is probably
collectable and worth more.
Q:
Who are the
people depicted on US small size notes?
A: Starting with series 1928,
all denominations of US issued notes were reduced in size to what we see
today and most of the major design elements have remained the same since
they were first introduced. The following table lists the people depicted on
the different denominations. Denominations larger than $100 have not been
issued since series 1934.
| Denomination |
Vignette |
| $1 |
George Washington |
| $2 |
Thomas Jefferson |
| $5 |
Abraham Lincoln |
| $10 |
Alexander Hamilton |
| $20 |
Andrew Jackson |
| $50 |
U.S. Grant |
| $100 |
Benjamin Franklin |
| $500 |
William McKinley |
| $1,000 |
Grover Cleveland |
| $5,000 |
James Madison |
| $10,000 |
Salmon P. Chase |
| $100,000 |
Woodrow Wilson |
Q:
Why does my note have
HAWAII printed on it?
A: During the early part of
WWII, the US had fears that Japan would overrun Hawaii. If this occurred,
large sums of currency could be captured and used to fund their war effort.
So, the US decided to issue the same $1 Silver Certificates, $5, $10 and $20
Federal Reserve Notes as used on the mainland, but with a brown seal and
serial numbers and overprinted with the word "HAWAII" twice on the front and
in large block letters on the back. Because these notes were distinctive, it
would make it easy for the US to demonitize the notes if large amounts fell
to the enemy. Later in the war, these notes were used in the US held Pacific
Islands for the same reasons.
Q:
Why does my
Silver Certificate have a yellow seal?
A: During WWII, the US had
troops all over the world. Since the local economies were in ruins and a
soldier might be in England one day and North Africa the next, the only way
to pay a soldier would be in US dollars. The problem was that large sums of
cash could be captured by the enemy and used to supply their troops. The
solution in the North African theater was to issue $1, $5 and $10 Silver
Certificates with a yellow seal instead of the familiar blue seal. As with
the HAWAII notes, they would be distinctive enough to easily demonitized if
required.
Q:
What is a Short Snorter? Or, I have a
1935 series Silver Certificate with several signatures on it.
A: The following is what I've
pieced together from several conversations. Typically, during WWII,
servicemen out for a drink would have their buddies sign each others notes.
At a later date, when they got together, if the other guy didn't have his
note, or whoever had the note with the least amount of signatures had to buy
the next round of drinks. |
