Star Note Values

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