Star Note Checker — Is Your Dollar Bill Rare?
Star notes are replacement dollar bills printed by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing. They're identified by a ★ at the end of the serial number and are significantly rarer than regular bills. Use TrackTheDollar's free tool to check if your bill is a star note and estimate its collector value.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing replaces damaged notes during the printing process with star notes — bills that have ★ instead of the final letter in their serial number. Because star notes are printed in much smaller quantities than regular notes, they command a premium among currency collectors (known as numismatists). The rarity of a specific star note depends on the denomination, the Federal Reserve district, the series year, and the size of the production run. Some star notes are printed in runs of just 640,000 while regular notes are printed by the hundreds of millions — making certain star notes worth $50 or more in fine condition.
? Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I have a star note?
Look at the serial number on your bill. If the last character is a ★ (star symbol) instead of a letter, you have a star note. Star notes are printed on all U.S. denominations from $1 to $100.
How much is a star note worth?
Most star notes are worth face value to slightly above in circulated condition. However, star notes from small production runs, low serial numbers, or in uncirculated condition can be worth $5 to $500+ depending on the denomination, series, and condition. $1 star notes from small runs and $100 star notes tend to command the highest premiums.
Why are star notes printed?
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing prints star notes as replacement bills when a regular note is damaged, misprinted, or destroyed during the printing process. Rather than disrupt the sequential serial number system, they insert star notes as substitutes.
Are star notes legal tender?
Yes, star notes are fully legal tender and can be spent like any other bill. Their value above face value is purely in the collector market for numismatists.
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