Ever stumbled upon a crisp bill with a tiny asterisk (*) at the end of its serial number? That, my friend, is a star note, and it might be more interesting than you think! But before you start dreaming of riches, let’s explore the world of star note rarity and see if yours might be a hidden gem.

What Makes a Star Note Rare?

• Print runs of 640,000 or fewer star notes that are also the only run of a particular series, denomination, or FRB combination and are from an older series.
• The above-mentioned star note print run, but for a more current series.
• Star note print runs with fewer than 640,000 notes; the FRB has additional star note print runs.
• Print runs of star notes exceed 640,000 notes. The more a note has printed, the rarer it becomes.

Why Are Small Print Runs Rare?

The maximum run size is 3.2 million but it can be smaller also. The notes with 640000 or below are consider rare usually but there are smaller runs some are only 16000. The lower the run size the higher the chances of the note being rare.

Other Things to Consider:

• Condition: Even the rarest star note won’t sell for much if it’s torn or dirty. Like a baseball card collector wouldn’t want a badly beat-up baseball card, a damaged star note is worthless.
• Future Printings: If the notes have been printed in currently running series, there’s a possibility of printing more, which will determine its value. It is like a video game. If it is not published anymore, its value increases with time.
• “Fresh” Star Notes: When new star notes are released, there is always a buzz among collectors, which temporarily increases their value. It’s like the excitement of getting the newest video game on the market.

Remember: Just the starting point! If you’re curious about what the exact value of your star note might be, check online star note lookups, contact a professional numismatist (coin expert), or consult historical data and collector trends.