A Guide To Values and Pricing for Star Notes

Star notes are a highly collectible subset of United States currency. It is simple to spot a star note. A star note will have a serial number that either begins or ends with a star symbol. Scroll to the bottom of this page for pricing on dozens of star notes

Star notes were printed by The Bureau of Engraving and Printing to have on hand to replace money if it was misprinted. So instead of having to reprint the misprinted currency the BEP just placed the star notes into circulation. Keep in mind that star notes were printed with serial numbers starting at 00000001, so the star note serial number is not the same as the serial number that was destroyed.

Star notes come in three different varieties:

Large Size Stars Notes – 1880 – 1923:
Currency that is bigger than money today is known as large size currency. Star notes were first printed for large size currency in 1910. However, a lot of currency has a series year well before 1910 that was still being printed up to 1910 and after. So you can find star notes on large size notes with a series year as early as 1880. All large size star replacement notes have a star symbol with a hole in the center of the star. There are some large size notes, specifically from 1869, 1890, and 1891, that have a solid star as part of the serial number design. You can learn more about large size star notes here. If the star symbol is solid and not holed then the star is not a replacement star. See the picture below:

Small Size Star Notes – 1928 – 1934:
1928 marked the first year that current size, aka “small size”, currency was printed.  Star notes were also issued for currency from 1928, 1933, and 1934.  Star notes from this time period have a solid star symbol at the beginning or end of the serial number.  The value of these star notes depends on condition and rarity.  There is a guide below that should be helpful.

Small Size Star Notes – 1935 to Present:
1935 marked the first year of the open star symbol on small size currency.  All star notes from 1935 and newer are considered fairly common.  There are a few exceptions like the 1953B $5 silver certificate star note.  However, most everything else will carry little to no premium.  See the guide below for more pricing.

The table below will hopefully provide some useful information about the value of star notes. Keep in mind that condition and serial numbers are still very important when dealing with star notes. The list is sorted by denomination and then by year.

Year	Denomination	Seal Color	Value
1923 and older	various	various	see large size star guide
1928	$1	red	rare, $1,500+
1928	$1	blue	common, $50 and up
1928A	$1	blue	common, $50 and up
1928B	$1	blue	common, $50 and up
1928C	$1	blue	rare, see guide
1928D	$1	blue	rare, see guide
1928E	$1	blue	rare, see guide
1934	$1	blue	common, $50 and up
1935A	$1	brown	common, $100 and up
1935A	$1	yellow	common, $100 and up
1935 (A-H)	$1	blue	common, about $3
1957 (A-B)	$1	blue	common, about $3
1963 and newer	$1	green	face value
1928	$2	red	see guide
1928A	$2	red	see guide
1928B	$2	red	rare, see guide
1928C	$2	red	see guide
1928D	$2	red	see guide
1928E	$2	red	see guide
1928F	$2	red	see guide
1928G	$2	red	see guide
1953 (A-C)	$2	red	common, about $5
1963 & A	$2	red	common, about $5
1976 and newer	$2	green	face value
1928	$5	red	see guide
1928	$5	green	depends on issuing district
1928A	$5	red	see guide
1928A	$5	green	depends on issuing district
1928B	$5	red	see guide
1928B	$5	green	depends on issuing district
1928C	$5	red	see guide
1928C	$5	green	rare, none reported
1928D	$5	red	see guide
1928D	$5	green	rare, none reported
1928E	$5	red	see guide
1928F	$5	red	see guide
1929	$5	brown	depends on issuing district
1934	$5	green	depends on issuing district
1934	$5	blue	common, see guide
1934 & A	$5	brown	somewhat rare, $500 and up
1934A	$5	green	depends on issuing district
1934A	$5	blue	common, see guide
1934A	$5	yellow	somewhat rare, $200 and up
1934B	$5	green	depends on issuing district
1934B	$5	blue	common, see guide
1934C	$5	green	depends on issuing district
1934C	$5	blue	common, see guide
1934D	$5	green	depends on issuing district
1934D	$5	blue	common, see guide
1953	$5	blue	common, about $8
1953A	$5	blue	common, about $8
1953B	$5	blue	rare, see guide
1950 and newer	$5	green	face value
1928	$10	gold	common, $150 and up
1928	$10	green	depends on issuing district
1928A	$10	green	depends on issuing district
1928B	$10	green	depends on issuing district
1928C	$10	green	very rare, see guide
1929	$10	brown	depends on issuing district
1934	$10	green	depends on issuing district
1934	$10	yellow	very rare, see guide
1934	$10	blue	common, $50 and up
1934A	$10	yellow	common, $150 and up
1934A	$10	green	depends on issuing district
1934A	$10	blue	common, $50 and up
1934A	$10	brown	see guide
1934B	$10	green	depends on issuing district
1934B	$10	blue	slightly rare, see guide
1934C	$10	green	depends on issuing district
1934C	$10	blue	common, $50 and up
1934D	$10	green	depends on issuing district
1934D	$10	blue	sometimes rare, see guide
1953	$10	blue	common, $50 and up
1953A	$10	blue	common, $50 and up
1950 and newer	$10	green	face value
1928	$20	gold	common, $200 and up
1928	$20	green	depends on issuing district
1928A	$20	green	depends on issuing district
1928B	$20	green	depends on issuing district
1929	$20	brown	depends on issuing district
1934	$20	green	depends on issuing district
1934 & A	$20	brown	rare, see guide
1934A	$20	green	depends on issuing district
1934B	$20	green	depends on issuing district
1934C	$20	green	depends on issuing district
1934D	$20	green	depends on issuing district
1950 and newer	$20	green	face value
1928	$50	gold	rare, see guide
1928	$50	green	depends on issuing district
1928A	$50	green	rare, see guide
1929	$50	brown	depends on issuing district
1934	$50	green	depends on issuing district
1934A	$50	green	depends on issuing district
1934B	$50	green	depends on issuing district
1934C	$50	green	depends on issuing district
1934D	$50	green	depends on issuing district
1950 and newer	$50	green	face value
1928	$100	gold	rare, see guide
1928	$100	green	depends on issuing district
1928A	$100	green	rare, see guide
1929	$100	brown	depends on issuing district
1934	$100	green	depends on issuing district
1934A	$100	green	depends on issuing district
1934B	$100	green	depends on issuing district
1934C	$100	green	depends on issuing district
1934D	$100	green	depends on issuing district
1966	$100	red	common, $250 and up
1950 and newer	$100	green	face value
1928	$500	green	very rare, see guide
1934	$500	green	$1,500 and up
1934A	$500	green	$1,500 and up
1928	$1,000	green	very rare, see guide
1934	$1,000	green	$2,000 and up
1934A	$1,000	green	$2,000 and up

You can also click on one of the denominations below for a quick description of what is rare:

$1 – $2 – $5 – $10 – $20 – $50 – $100 – $500 – $1000