United States "Star" Notes *

It's been a while since I blogged on a currency collectible, so tonight I thought I would break out this crispy little gem I pulled from circulation a few years ago.  It may not be worth that much...$10 probably...maybe a little more...but it is definitely collectible due to the star at the end of the serial number.

As a kid, I knew that a star note was a special note, but I never really knew why.  Well, a star note is actually a replacement note.  When the treasury prints up its regular run of notes and an error or damage occurs, they will pull these notes and replace them with a star note.  A complete description of this and other reasons for these notes can be found on this site.  

While star notes are much more uncommon than a regular note...there are often many of them printed.  This $10 D note from 2003 had 1.2 million numbers printed.  This is compared to total production of $10 bills for 2003 of 249,600,000 according to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.  So...while not super rare...the odds of finding this note are not that high.  Some star notes though, are quite rare.  For example, the 1B run of series E $10 notes from 1999 only had 3,200 star notes printed!  Not very many.  See this site, for a great list of data of this kind.

Anyway...next time you see a star note in change, pull it aside and show it to your kid, or keep it for yourself!

Until next time...

Blogging here on Sundry Collectibles and at Disney Postcards on, you guessed it, Disney Postcards!

Silver Certificate United States Currency

One of the first thing I remember collecting as a kid was coins.  I mostly collected Lincoln cents and had nearly a complete collection when I stopped.  But aside from that, I did collect other coins and occasionally some paper money.  In the 1970's, it was not uncommon to still find silver certificates in change.  So, when I found one, I would stash it away in my coin collecting box.  A silver certificate is just what you think it would be; a paper note backed by the United States Treasury with silver.

If you look at the front of the bill, the text on the note actually said,

THIS CERTIFIES THAT THERE IS ON DEPOSIT IN THE TREASURY OF

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

ONE DOLLAR

IN SILVER PAYABLE TO THE BEARER ON DEMAND

Silver certificates were issued by the US Treasury for many years.  Some of the most attractive bills, the ones that make this hobby so interesting, were printed in the later part of the 19th century.  The 1896 $1, $2, and $5 notes are spectacular bills.  In 1899, a new series was created...also featuring beautiful designs.  Shown here is an 1899 $1 silver certificate.

This particular bill has been graded by one of the currency grading organizations, Currency Grading and Authentication, Inc.  There is another organization called Paper Money Guarantee which is, for one reason or another, regarded more highly for reasons that are not entirely clear to me.

If you are interested in getting into this hobby, the Official Red Book Guide Book of United States Paper Money is absolutely essential.  It describes all US paper currency and lists their designation numbers (Friedberg Numbers) from 1860 to present.  In the mean time...next time you have a moment...take a look at the paper money you use each day.  There is a lot going on on a paper note, and they really are pretty nice to look at, even today.

Until next time...

Winnie-The-Pooh and a $2 Bill

A few years ago I was at a garage sale and picked up a copy of A. A. Milne's "Winnie-The-Pooh" (yes...the title has the dashes in it).

This was a reprint of the classic children's story, in the original format, with E. H. Shepard's drawings.  In first edition, this book sells for thousands of dollars and is actively collected (thus the "thousands of dollars"....stuff people don't want doesn't cost that much!).

Anyway...when I got home, I opened the book and found this two dollar bill from 1976 inside.  As a kid I collected coins and I can still remember the flurry of activity around the Bicentennial.  All the coins were redone (well...at least the dollar, half dollar, and quarter) and they relaunched the $2 bill.

I have always thought that the reverse of this bill was one of the most attractive published in my lifetime.  The signers all in one room (presumably the Pennsylvania State House) and portrayed in great detail.  This picture, in case you were wondering, is after a painting by John Trumbull which hangs in the US Capitol building.

Good design is admirable in currency, comics, and collectibles of all kinds.  And in this case, it can be had for two dollars...about what this particular bill is worth today.

Until next time...