Sure, looking at the serial numbers on your bills might not sound like treasure hunting. However, it could yield a valuable treasure, if you do. It’s similar to taking a moment to look at your pocket change; those pennies, nickels, or other coins, might be worth more than face value. One never knows if we’re not looking. It’s like tossing lottery tickets away without ever scratching them to see if we won or not!
A friend recently made me aware of the market for ‘fancy serial numbers’. Some of these can be worth thousands, while others only a few dollars. They are the serial numbers on a bill which consist of all sevens (what a lucky bill), or the number that displays an important date (07041776); numbers which are considered unique. It’s true I didn’t pay much attention to them and never really took the time to look and see if I had ever come across one. Now I do. It’s actually a lot of fun, doesn’t take but a glance, and is like a mini treasure hunt each time. I’m always wondering what I might find!
The serial number is the 8 digit number that includes letters at the beginning and end of the numbered string on the bill (if you have one with a ‘star’, instead of a letter, then that is a ‘star note’ and is special too (more on this later). On the dollar shown below, the serial number is E83398540C.
Not that fancy. It’s worth a dollar :). But some can be worth more. And although I show a One dollar, other denominations (twos, fives and so on) are collected too.
There are different types of fancy serial numbers. Depending on the numbers and the condition of the bill determines the value. The following is a list of what you might want to look for.
*Low or High serial numbers. Numbers like 0000036, or 99999982
*Repeats: 23232323 (super repeater), but even partly, 23232378 or 37137137
*Straights or Ladders: 12345678 or 45678901
*Solids and almost Solids: 55555555 or 55555553
*Dates: 12122012 or B-day(special to collector)
*Halves/quads: 44448888 or 77772222
*Mathematical sequences like Pi, golden ratio, or Fibonacci: 31415926, 16180039, or 11235813,
*Palindromes: 45677654, 19344391
I checked Ebay for some fancy serial numbers, and other sites which collect, trade, and sell them. The following are some examples:
CoolSerialNumbers.com lists some for sale:
* 20012001, 2001 one dollar is for sale for 300 dollars.
* 11111111, 2012 one hundred dollar bill is for sale for 4000 dollars. (at time of posting)
Ebay had bids on a 2009, one dollar, low fancy serial number of 00000900, for $21.50 (as of 10/3/13)
There were also bids on a 2009, one dollar, seven of a kind of 44444442, for $6.29 (as of 10/3/13) and on a 2009, one dollar, quad-like of 72007200, for $17.05 (as of 10/3/13)
Browsing through the sites give lots of examples of what to look for, and what they might sell for.
Being surprised by finding something ‘unique’ is always fun. Looking at those serial numbers on your bills is one more way to do so! Every time a bill is passed to you, check it out. You could be the lucky holder of a fancy serial number!
Pretty interesting article Jenny. My understanding of “E-Bay” is that’s it’s more of an “auction price” for some items. Whether it works that way for all items, I don’t know. From the perspective of a “sellers market,” the whole idea sounds pretty inticing, but from the perspective of a “buyer’s market,” only time will tell if the whole idea has any appeal. I think that for some people, it might.
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I have a one dollar bill with numbers E73353236E, what is the value ?
What an interesting concept. I had never considered looking at the serial numbers on currency. I’ll keep an eye out from now on. Thanks, Jenny.
I just saw this one on Ebay. I’d buy it if I could afford it…but I can’t.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Bill-Fancy-Serial-Number-7-8-Solid-Binary-US-Note-Gem-UNC-66-PMG-Certificate-/272047903037?hash=item3f5751913d:g:xEUAAOSwnGJWSm99
So it’s not a 20$ bill in reality it’s a 200$ bill. Value my friend!
@Levil, I’m sorry but I can’t offer a value for that serial number, as it isn’t really my expertise. However, if you would like to contact the link in the article which deals specifically with those, they might be able to. Best of luck.
@JC1117- That one is PERFECT for you…lol….too bad it is almost 200dollars..but for a 20, though…
I have come close to finding some interesting ones…but none yet. I will keep looking at my ‘dollars’…and coin dates…. Treasures are probably passing through so many pockets going unnoticed!
Dagnabbit! It looks like the one got a way. I mean the twenty got away.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Bill-Fancy-Serial-Number-7-8-Solid-Binary-US-Note-Gem-UNC-66-PMG-Certificate-/281865689389?
I guess I’ll just keeping looking for Treasure on down the line. On Thanksgiving Day I’m especially grateful for kind people who give so generously of their thoughts and time and resources to add to the mystery and thrill of life for me and others.
Thank you, Jenny.
And thank you my other Friends.
They stopped putting as much copper in pennies in 1982. Silver in coins in 1964. And silver in Kennedy halves I believe in 1970. Pennies dated 1960 to 1982 will be more rare in the future than pre 1960 pennies.
No silver in today’s coinage.
I got a 1 bill with a serial numbers G81810018A 2013 series and one more with numbers L59586262T series 2009 and a 10 dollar bill with numbers MD11920119A series 2013 i was wondering none of this worth anything you can email me mtzz199418@gmail.com thanks
I got a 100 bill ML 77577967 A
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