If you’re a currency collector, you know the answer already: yes, there are some dollars and coins that carry a higher value than the U.S. Mint printed on them originally.
Pennies adorned with wheat, for example, could be as worth as much as $1,500 if the date next to President Abraham Lincoln’s head is just right. Sometimes called a ‘wheatie,’ those that were never circulated could be worth twice as much.
But how can you tell if your penny, quarter, or $2 bill is worth more than $2.26?
“The answer is not always obvious,” Dustin Johnson, Vice President of Numismatics (the study or collection of coins, paper money, and medals) at Heritage Auctions tells Nexstar. “Odd items are always set aside but that doesn’t make them rare or terribly valuable.”
He offers the example of Silver Certificates. They were printed between 1928 and the 1960s and carry blue seals and serial numbers. Though that may make them seem valuable, coupled with the fact that you have likely never seen one, Johnson notes they “are rarely worth a significant premium over face value.”
The money you have in your wallet or pocket right now is also likely worth its face value and nothing more. There are unique features that can change that, like errors or “a fancy serial number.”
“A true serial number 1 banknote or notes with solid serial numbers can be worth thousands, while some errors can also launch an item into that value range,” Johnson says. He points to a $20 bill with a serial number printed over a Del Monte sticker that was found by a college student stocking ATMs as a bank teller. The note sold for nearly $400,000 during a 2021 auction.
“That was a true anomaly, and unlikely to be repeated, but still some value can be found,” he continues.
Other errors, like double denominations and a note with different denominations on the front and back, are the rarest and most valuable. But, errors you don’t notice right away may have lesser value to collectors.
Currently, collectors are vying for higher denomination notes. According to Johnson, that includes “$500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 Federal Reserve notes [that] were printed from 1928 into the 1940s are bringing record prices.”
That includes a $10,000 note that sold for a record $456,000 last year.
If you don’t have a big bill or a note featuring a fruit sticker, you may still have some worthwhile currency. Certain versions of $2 bills, depending on their age, could be valuable, as could your wheat pennies and state quarters.
It’s best to take your money to a verified coin expert, like Heritage Auctions, which can evaluate your item for free.
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There are a couple of key places on your bill to check out, like the year and seal color. Bills that have red, brown, or blue seals printed between 1862 and 1917 could be worth up to $1,000, per IndyStar. And, the older a bill is, the rarer it's usually considered.
There are a couple of key places on your bill to check out, like the year and seal color. Bills that have red, brown, or blue seals printed between 1862 and 1917 could be worth up to $1,000, per IndyStar. And, the older a bill is, the rarer it's usually considered.
“A serial number '1' for a 1976 $2 bill would be worth $20,000 or more. But [for] a majority of those people holding 1976 $2 bills, they are only worth face value. There are very few that actually exceed face value.” Other high-value serial numbers include what collectors call “solid” or “ladders.”
See the dark green numbers on the top-left and top-right corners? They could mean your bill is worth much more than its face value. If a serial number's digits are unique or interesting, collectors might be willing to pay big bucks — hundreds or even thousands of dollars — for your bill.
If your $2 bill dates back to 1886 and has a red seal with a silver certificate, you're in luck. That bill is worth $4,500. A number of other iterations of the $2 bills with a red seal can also fetch well over a $1,000. Bills with brown seals are also very valuable.
Coin collectors finally have the resource needed to make informed numismatic buying, selling and trading decisions, thanks to the PCGS CoinFacts mobile app. The world's largest encyclopedia of U.S. coins now fits in your pocket and is 100% free to use.
Coins that are rare, in excellent condition, and have historical significance tend to be worth a lot of money. Examples of valuable coins include the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar, and 1804 Silver Dollar.
Bills with red, brown and blue seals from 1862 through 1917 can be worth up to $1,000 or more on the U.S. Currency Auctions website, which bases the value on recent and past paper currency auctions. From 1995, according to the site, a set of 12 notes in their original packaging are worth $500 or more.
A circulated $2 bill, even if it's from the 1800s, may only be worth a few hundred dollars, the auction service reports. Newer bills, like one printed in 2003, could also have significant value. A $2 bill recently sold at an auction for $2,400, according to Heritage Auction. (It later resold for $4,000.)
To find the value of your $2 bill, look at the year and seal color. Bills with red, brown and blue seals from 1862 through 1917 can be worth up to $1,000 or more on the U.S. Currency Auctions website, which bases the value on recent and past paper currency auctions.
Knowing what your paper money might be worth is all in the serial number. Serial numbers are eight digits long and are unique to each bill. They are paired with other identifying letters and numbers that identify the series year the bill is from and where it was printed.
The most valuable $20 of all is the 1878 silver certificate, valued at between $10,000 and $35,000. Look for the red seal. More recent bills can also be worth extra cash, the most recent of which are certain bills printed in 1996, which can be worth more than $500. The full list can be viewed here.
Many antique stores also employ professional appraisers. Contact your local antique store to discuss appraisal options. Appraisers should still be certified by a national appraisal board.
A quick look at any U.S. banknote will show you a serial number. Those printed before 1995 have serial numbers consisting of eight digits sandwiched between two letters, like A12345678B. Today, only $1 and $2 bills follow this form, according to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing.
Circulated series-1950 bills with no letter or an A through D currently have auction values in the $22-$24 range. However a bill with an “E” under the date run in the $50-$60 range.
A circulated $2 bill, even if it's from the 1800s, may only be worth a few hundred dollars, the auction service reports. Newer bills, like one printed in 2003, could also have significant value. A $2 bill recently sold at an auction for $2,400, according to Heritage Auction. (It later resold for $4,000.)
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