A star note is a type of paper currency that is used by the United States government to replace a misprinted or damaged note. These notes are identifiable by the star symbol that appears in place of the serial number on the note.
Here is some more detailed information about star notes, including a brief history and some interesting facts:
What is a star note?
A star note is a type of paper currency that is used by the United States government to replace a misprinted or damaged note. These notes are identifiable by the star symbol that appears in place of the serial number on the note.
History of star notes
The first star notes were issued by the United States government in 1890. At that time, the government had begun using new high-speed printing presses to produce paper currency, but the new machines were prone to misprints and other errors. In order to avoid having to destroy large quantities of misprinted currency, the government began issuing star notes to replace the misprinted notes.
How are star notes produced?
When a misprinted or damaged note is discovered, it is removed from circulation and sent to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) for examination. If the note is deemed to be unfit for circulation, it is destroyed and a star note is printed to replace it.
The process of printing a star note is similar to the process used to print regular notes, with one key difference: instead of printing a serial number on the note, a star symbol is printed in its place. This allows the BEP to easily distinguish between regular notes and star notes.
What makes a star note valuable?
Star notes can be valuable for several reasons. For one, they are much rarer than regular notes, since they are only printed to replace misprinted or damaged notes. This means that collectors are often willing to pay a premium for star notes.
Additionally, some star notes have unique serial numbers or other features that make them particularly valuable to collectors. For example, a star note with a serial number that is the same as the serial number on the note it replaced can be especially valuable.
Examples of valuable star notes
Some examples of valuable star notes include:
- 1934 $5,000 star note: This is one of the rarest and most valuable star notes in existence. Only two of these notes are known to exist, and they are both in the possession of the BEP.
- 1890 $1,000 star note: This is another extremely rare and valuable star note. Only six of these notes are known to exist, and they are highly sought after by collectors.
- 1953 $5 star note: This note is valuable because it is the first star note to feature theportrait of President Abraham Lincoln on the front. This note is part of the popular “red seal” series of U.S. currency, which was introduced in 1928 and remained in circulation until 1966. This note is generally considered to be in high demand among collectors.