20+ Banknotes Worth Way More than Face Value – Errors, Rare and Fancy Serial Numbers

A number of 2005 Kansas state coins minted in Philadelphia were incorrectly imprinted with the motto “In God We Rust” due to build-up of grease in the die that meant the ‘T’ didn’t print. These error coins, which are in circulation at the current time, are worth anything up to $100 apiece depending on their condition.

It’s always a good idea to check the serial numbers on the bills in your wallet or purse. Fancy serial numbers command surprisingly high prices. By way of example, so-called repeater and super-repeater notes with serial numbers that replicate the same one, two or three digits sell for up to $160 on eBay and similar auction sites, and sometimes fetch significantly more.

Keep your eyes peeled for misprints. They can range from bills with incorrectly-colored seals and orientations that are off to upside down or double-printed serial numbers. This 2006 dollar bill featuring a double-printed serial number sold recently on eBay for just under $200. The weirder the misprint, the more valuable the note is likely to be.

There’s a likelihood this coin could show up in your change, so keep a look out for it if you can. All US coins should have a mint mark, be it P for Philadelphia, S for San Francisco, D for Denver, and W for West Point, but a relatively large number of 1982 Roosevelt dimes were released without a mark. If you spot one that lacks a mint mark next to the year stamp, it could be worth up to $300.

While rare and seldom used, the $2 bill remains in circulation though relatively few are printed. They aren’t worth much more than their face value apart from pristine red seal notes that were issued in 1928. These crisp immaculate bills fetch decent prices at auction – a particularly fine example sold recently on eBay for just under $380.

As many as 50,000 Wisconsin state extra leaf quarters were issued accidentally by the Denver Mint in 2004. Two error varieties exist – the low leaf variety, which depicts an arched leaf jutting out sideways on the reverse of the coin, and the high leaf version. It shows an additional leaf poking out of the cheese wheel that touches the corn husk leaf. They are worth up to $400 each, so if you find one in your change make sure to hang onto it!

An estimated 20,000 examples of the 1972 doubled die pennies slipped through the net, many of which are still in circulation. One of the most common minting errors, doubled die coins are created when the die imprints a misaligned image on the coin, giving the lettering and numbers a blurry look. The fuzzy effect is pretty pronounced on these cent coins. They are worth up to $500 each.

Another type of fancy serial number bill, a star note features a star at the end of the serial number. These notes are printed to replace faulty ones and since no two serial numbers can be the same, an asterisk is printed at the end of the serial number instead of a letter. Most aren’t worth a lot more than their face value, but the most valuable fetch up to $500 so if you find one make sure you don’t spend it.

In 1999, the Philadelphia Mint issued around 400 Lincoln Memorial pennies with a definite space between the A and M in the word “AMERICA” on the reverse of the coin – this is what you should look out for. The other coins issued have virtually no space between the letters, which look like they are touching. The so-called ‘Wide AM’ coins are now worth up to $500 a piece.

Another error coin, up to 24,000 doubled die pennies were released by the Philadelphia Mint in 1955. Many of these ended up in packs of cigarettes in New England vending machines as the price per pack was 23 cents, but the machines could only take quarters so the pennies were added to the packs to even up the price. These circulated coins, which feature the telltale blurred lettering and numbers on the reverse, are worth up $2,000 to each.

Notes with serial numbers made up of digits that are all identical are rare. Only one in 11 million bills printed boast this type of serial number. As a result, they are worth big bucks. Considered lucky by some, this dollar bill with a serial number entirely comprised of sevens sold recently on eBay for $600, but a $100 bill made up of ones from 2006 is available now on the CoolSerialNumbers site for a remarkable $4,500.

Notes that have serial numbers with digits that ascend or descend are pretty prized. Called ladder bills, the most sought-after are the true or perfect ladder serial numbers 12345678 and 87654321. They are exceedingly scarce and represent only one in 96 million bills printed, hence their high value.

The world’s most valuable rare notes

Four Sacagawea commemorative dollars have been found with transitional errors, according to Mint Error News. These mistakes occur when a coin is struck with a different metal composition from the past then fed into a coin press for the current year. The mega-rare commemorative coins can be worth up to $15,000, and there may be more of them out there.

Scan your bills for low serial numbers as they are worth serious money. In fact, according to the experts, a redesigned $100 bill with the serial number 00000001 could fetch between $10,000 and $15,000, though typically low serial number bills, say with numbers 00000002 or 00000005 are worth a little less, realizing up to $1,000.

Dubbed “The King of Silvers” by collectors in the know, the 1933 $10 silver certificate had a print run of 216,000, but only 156,000 were released and very few survive to this day. For this reason, these notes are tremendously valuable. While used examples in good condition fetch up to $5,200, the finest grades sell for as much as $70,500.

You’ll have hit the jackpot if you discover one of these babies in your change. Only 50 specimens max of the 1969-S doubled die Lincoln penny escaped the mint and made it into circulation. Michigan collector Michael Tremonti found one in 2007 while searching through a 50-coin roll that was later valued at a sensational $126,500.

Modern coins with mistakes worth more than their face value

If you have some very old bills stashed away somewhere, check for state-issued notes as many of these are worth significantly more than their face value. This Alaskan banknote for instance was printed during the state’s famous Klondike gold rush and was among the first $5 bills issued by the First National Bank of Fairbanks. It was sold in 2012 by Heritage Auctions for $246,750.

During World War II pennies were struck in zinc-coated steel as copper was needed for the war effort, but a tiny batch was accidentally minted in copper. Up to 26 examples of the Philadelphia and San Francisco-minted coins are estimated to be floating around. In 1947, 16-year-old Don Lutes Jr discovered one of these coins in his lunch money change, and kept it. It recently sold at auction for a whopping $204,000. The best way to identify a 1943 copper penny is to use a magnet. Steel pennies will stick, while the valuable copper rarities will not.

Unlike many other low serial number bills, you won’t see this beauty in circulation. If only. While worth only $166 based on its face value when adjusted for inflation for inflation, the 1931 $10 silver certificate with the serial number A00000001A has been valued by numismatic experts at a cool $500,000.

While up to 26 specimens of the Philadelphia-minted 1943 copper penny are known to exist, just one Denver-struck example has been discovered, and as a result, this fabled coin is worth an absolute fortune. In fact, the only known specimen was sold for a jaw-dropping $1.7 million by New Jersey’s Legend Numismatics back in 2010.

With a face value of $269 in 2019 dollars, very few gold 1907 rolled edge eagle $10 coins are known to have survived to the present, and collectors have entered into fierce bidding wars to get hold of these elusive coins. Needless to say, the finest example sold for $2.2 million at auction in 2011.

Setting a then world record for a rare banknote, this 1891 red seal $1,000 treasury note realized $2.5 million at auction in 2013. Only one of two surviving specimens, the high denomination note is a collector’s dream acquisition.

Worth millions of times its face value, the very first penny struck by the US mint is the holy grail cent coin for collectors. This particular example is likely to have been handled by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, adding to its prestige. The coin was snapped up in 2015 for $2.6 million by Beverly Hills dealer Kevin Lipton.

The world-famous 1890 Grand Watermelon $1,000 treasury note exceeded all expectations when it fetched a staggering $3.3 million at auction in 2014, making it the world’s most valuable banknote. The bill is so-named on account of the zeros, which have been likened to watermelons.

Only 15 examples of the 1804 Bust dollar AKA the Bowed Liberty dollar coin are known to exist with the finest Class I pieces commanding sky-high prices. While they are dated 1804, the coins were actually struck during the 1830s or later. This specimen sold for $4.1 million in 1999, while another fetched $3.9 million at auction in 2013.

Worth just $1.28 in today’s money at the time of minting, only five 1913 nickels exist bearing the Liberty Head design. Heritage Auctions sold one for $3.7 million in 2010 and another for $3.2 million in 2013. The most valuable example, the so-called Eliasberg Specimen, was bought by a private collector for $5 million in 2007.

This exquisite $10 gold coin dated 1804 was actually minted in 1834 for President Andrew Jackson to offer as a diplomatic gift to officials in Asia. Today, only four examples exist, and this particular specimen sold for $5 million at auction in 2007.

The prized Flowing Hair dollar was the first dollar coin issued by the US federal government and is now the most coveted by collectors. This perfectly preserved specimen from the Lord St Oswald-Norweb Collection went for just under $5 million at auction in 2017. Interestingly, its contemporary face value is the equivalent of just $23 today.

The mythical 1933 Saint-Gaudens double eagle $20 coins are now worth as much as 380,000 times that figure. Only 13 of the beautifully designed gold coins are known to exist and the only specimen to come on the open market sold for a staggering $7.6 million in 2002.