The last letter of the serial number or suffix letter identifies the number of times that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing used the sequence of serial numbers A is the first time, B is the second time, C is the third time and so on. The letter which precedes the numbers must be the same number that you saw identifying the Federal Reserve Bank. The serial number of a bill appears twice, once in the lower left hand quadrant and again in the upper right hand quadrant on the front of the bill. The following table is a handy reference for the bank codes:
A corresponding Federal Reserve District Number code is found in four locations. The letter code is also found in the prefix of the serial number. On the one dollar bill, the bank can be quickly identified by a letter code in the Federal Reserve Seal to the left of the portrait of George Washington. There are twelve different Federal Reserve Banks responsible for printing paper money in the United States. Now, you have a good reason to check the dollar bills in your pocket or purse.The Federal Reserve Seal and the Federal Reserve District Number. Just remember that any bill with a special serial number is a rare item. So you might have a good chance of finding consecutive bills, which could possibly earn you a few more dollars if you sold them to a collector. Sometimes, a fresh new pack of one dollar bills will come to a bank straight from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Go through them and see what patterns of serial numbers you can find. My advice is to go to your bank and ask for a one-dollar "strap" which is a pack of 100 one dollar bills. Special combinations of serial numbers from one dollar bills vary in value, from just a few dollars to a few thousand. You can also find a "star note." If you see a star at the end of a serial number, it means that it's a replacement bill for one with the same serial number that was damaged. Even a bill with one number repeated eight times: 44444444 might bring $500. A "double quad" is two sets of four of the same number: 33335555. "Doubles" occur when you have two of the same numbers: 33774499. Two or more separate bills with consecutive serial numbers, like 2534878794, are two bills printed one after the other. Radars can fetch about $25, while super radars might be worth about $70. A "super radar" bill only includes two numbers, with the same one only at the beginning and end: 59999995.
These are called "trinary bills," which could only fetch $3 or $5.Īnother type is called a "ladder," which is a direct count from 1 to 8: 12345678 or, backwards: 87654321.Ī "radar" bill reads the same numbers backwards and forwards, like a mirror: 14622641. You must know that a two number combination will be more valuable than the three number combination. You might also get a set using three numbers, such as "2", "4", and "7", you can have them in no special order, such as: 27244727, or 59577975 Of course, if they follow a repeating order, they are worth more.
This special combo is called a "binary bill." But, if you have a repeating pattern, like, 24242424, or 24224224, your investment just increased by about $1,000. This number is worth a little more than face value. If you have only two numbers in the set, like "2" and "4", such as 22424442. For example, a bill with a low number like 00000095, or one with a high number 32000022 can fetch between $25 to $100.Īlso, a specific combination of numbers can add value. The lower or higher the numbers, the more they're worth as investments. The first one printed will be "00000001". The number of letters goes through the 26-letter alphabet.īetween the letters are eight numbers representing how many one dollar bills were printed in one year. "B" indicates a second time and "C" is the third. So, "A" means that the serial number has run only one time. The last letter indicates the number of times that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing used the sequence of serial numbers. These 12 letters are codes for the cities where they were printed. Combinations of serial numbers are keys to determining the rarity and investment value of a bill.
One is close to the bottom left of George Washington's portrait and the other is located at the top right of his portrait. You can find them easily because they are printed in green and are located twice on each bill. Serial numbers are a combination of a letter, eight numbers and another letter at the end. The key to knowing if a dollar bill is worth more than face value is to examine the serial number. A one dollar bill may not seem like a lot of money, but some are rare and can become part of an investment.