Published: March 17, 2026
Value Guide

Quick Bill Value Assessment

Scan any bill to discover if it might be worth more than face value.

5-Point Quick Check

You can assess any bill's potential value in under 30 seconds by checking these five things in order of importance:

1. Serial Number
Check for ★ (star note) and patterns (ladders, radars, solids).
2. Seal Color
Green = common. Blue/Red/Gold = potentially valuable.
3. Series Year
Pre-1970 small-size notes may have premiums.
4. Condition
Uncirculated notes worth more. Damage reduces value.
5. Printing Quality
Misalignments or errors add value.

What's Worth Checking vs. Spending

Not everything old or unusual is valuable. Here's a realistic guide:

FeatureWorth CheckingSpend It
Star NoteAlways check print runIf print run > 3.2M
Fancy SerialSolid, ladder, radar, lowPartial patterns, doubles
Blue SealAll silver certificatesNever (always keep)
Red SealAll United States NotesNever (always keep)
Pre-1960Usually worth a premium-
Circulated ModernOnly with star/fancy serialIf no special features
Damaged Bills-Almost always

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Modern Bills Worth Money

Even bills from the past few years can have value. Here's what to look for:

Low-Run Star Notes
Star notes with print runs under 640,000 have collector value.
Fancy Serial Numbers
Ladders (12345678), solids (88888888), radars (12344321).
Low Serial Numbers
Anything under 00001000 has premium value.
Birthday Serials
Dates like 07041776 or 12251990 appeal to some collectors.
Printing Errors
Misalignments, ink smears, or missing elements.

Value Ranges by Feature

Here's what different valuable features typically add to a bill:

FeatureOn $1On $20On $100
Star Note (low run)$5-$50$25-$150$120-$500
Star Note (common)$1.50-$3$20-$22$100-$105
Solid Serial$200-$1,000$500-$2,000$800-$5,000
Ladder Serial$100-$500$300-$1,000$500-$2,000
Radar Serial$10-$50$30-$100$120-$300
Low Number (<100)$50-$300$100-$500$200-$1,000
Blue Seal ($1)$1.25-$15--
Red Seal ($2/$5)$3-$100--
Printing Error$20-$500+$50-$1,000+$150-$2,000+

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When to Get Expert Opinions

For potentially valuable finds, consider professional help:

Currency Dealers
Free opinions, though they may offer low to buy.
Online Forums
r/papermoney and collector forums offer free ID help.
Auction Houses
Heritage, Stack's Bowers for notes worth $500+.
Professional Grading
PMG or PCGS for notes worth $100+.
eBay Sold Listings
Check what similar notes actually sold for.
Features

How CashScan Helps With Bill's Value

Instant Assessment

Scan to quickly identify potentially valuable features.

Series Value

Learn which series years are most valuable.

Special Features

Detect star notes, errors, and fancy serials.

Market Prices

Get realistic value ranges based on collector demand.

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FAQ

Check Your Bill's Value FAQ

Check the serial number first for star notes (★ suffix) or fancy patterns (solids, ladders, radars). Then check seal color (blue/red/gold = valuable). Finally, note the series year (pre-1970 may have premiums). Most modern green-seal bills without special features are face value only.

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