Question about rarety - two $1 bills with the same serial #'s

AbesNeighbor

I know this probably belongs on the currency "Channel" but none of the three people who have provided posts in the last three months were on.

I have these two $1 bills with the same serial #. Both are 1988 series - one is 1988 A.

They have two different treasurer signatures affixed to them but the same Treasury Secretary.

Is this rare??

Dan Cheatham

jtryka

They aren't rare in the sense of being rare, but I would think that the liklihood of you having found both of them is an exceedingly rare occurrence (something on the order of winning the lotto). Let's see, an 8-digit serial number, plus a letter on each end (of course the first letter can only be A-L) which if my math is correct comes out to 3.125 billion possible combinations, and the odd of matching 2, would seem quite remote. Don't have my stats book here so I can't give you the exact probability.

AbesNeighbor

Both serial #'s are G 00000322A

I actually thought I had a couple of decent liars poker bills!

I'll be glad to send scans..

jtryka

Low serial numbers are usually sought by collectors, and if the they are uncirculated they are probably worth quite a bit, but unfortunately I am not the one to ask on currency, since I usually spend all my bills on coins!

AbesNeighbor

I would consider these uncirculated. I am not a currency trader either...If you know one, have them contact me.

I collect $2 1/2 Gold Indians and Modern platinum...Do you have any?

Dan

jtryka

I think Anaconda (board member) deals in currency, perhaps he could shed some light on the values. I only have one Indian quarter eagle, and no modern platinum (except for what's in my catalytic converter on my truck).

AbesNeighbor

He, He, Thanks!

baccaruda

Dan,

by chance are you a partner to a law firm with Dewey and Howe?

leothelyon

A lot of funny lines in this thread but someone should be along soon to address this astronomical
occurrance. You might post anyway, in the other forum.

Leo

cladking

Welcome aboard Abesneighbor. Even if you can't get top billing you won't need it here.

banknote1

Please post the notes, I would like to see them. This is strange!

AbesNeighbor

I've scanned them, how do I post them

KlectorKid

u can send them to me... at shr00m123@hotmail.com

AbesNeighbor

they are on their way to you collectors Kid

AbesNeighbor

KlectorKid .... sorry

AbesNeighbor

Banknote 1 I emailed you a copy of those bills.....I just got them from a friend today who knew that I collected coins.

They are different and hard to believe you could get them together.

KlectorKid

MrKelso

Weird but i see a few differences, look at all the Small A's

MastaHanky

I'm pretty sure that whenever a new series of bills is generated, the serial numbers start over. These would be considered two different series (noted above the word "dollar").

That said, the odds of coming across those two bills by accident are astronomical. I don't know if they'd have much value as a set, but as previously mentioned, there is a premium paid for bills with low serial numbers, which this definitely qualifies for.

leothelyon

Now if you could find a third bill with matching numbers, then you might have something there. LOL
Hint! Hint! $$$ Throw it on ebay! $$$

Leo

ccr

Here`s a Link to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis that gives a general explanation of what your asking.

itsnotjustme

Does the 322 on the 1988 bill look odd? The upper right on seams to have the numbers 22 angled slighting down & right. The same numbers also look different than the other numbers on the lower left serial number.

Take a close look for modifications....

my3cents

I'll offer you $20 for the both of them. PM me if interested.

DMWJR

I'll pay twenty dollars EACH in the set them.....that's $40.

PM me if you are interested in the offer.

Doug

silverandvinyl

My feeling is,1 is real and 1 is phony.Here is why I think that: #1.The first bill,look at the last 2 in 322,its to the right of the "C" in D.C. Now look at the 2nd bill and you'll find the last 2 directly over the "C" in D.C.
#2.Look at the green seal on the first bill and compare its location to the second bill.The seal on the 2nd.is almost touching the left inside of the O in one.The first bill seal is more to the right side of the O.
#3..Compare the location of 7 (upper right) .It's centered under the leaf just above the 7.Now compare it with the 2nd.bill. You'll see that 7 is more to the right.It's only my opinion.

CapAnson

Is it possible they could be counterfeits? not likely with 1$ bills I know but still that would explain it..

Twowood

Dan; how did you come upon them? Did you buy them as a set? Twowood

Ooops...sorry, I just read your post with th scan and I see you got them from a friend. How did HE get them?

AbesNeighbor

A friend of mine received them in change. I drink coffee with him in the morning and we are old "Liars Poker" players...played it together for years. He asked me what I thought the odds were that he could get these in change. I told him immediately that they must be fake but then saw the different series.

My guess is that somebody put them back and accidently spent them for Chrismas, or, didn't have money for Christmas and got into their collectibles, or a kid stole them from his mother or fathers collectibles...If I knew who, I would return them.

Otherwise, there really is no explanation. As was said earlier, the odds are absolutely astronomical....even if they are fake!

Dan

cointagious

abesneighbor -
welcome to the boards. there is nothing unusual about those two notes having the same serial numbers as each series (in this case 1988 and 1988A) begins numbering anew. i've sold crisp uncirculated pairs similar to these over the years and seeing that the pair now show some circulation in the form of creases, the $40 offer posted above would be more than fair for that pair. Other intriguing numerical pairings is to obtain the same denomination and series with matching serials and with one being a star note. another possibility is to obtain the same series and serial numbers but different denominations. i've sold both types of those pairs in the past, in crisp uncirculated condition, and have garnered more than $450. for each pair. while 3 digit serial numbers are better notes, they will not command a substantial premium as they are circulated and from a recent series.

1jester

Due to the fact that they are different series, they are not identical notes. Of course, it would be nearly impossible to expect to find matching serial numbers like that! Interesting!!! I don't think they are CU at all. But very intreaguing.

1jester

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but isn't a star note a duplicate note because the original (with a letter instead of a star) was somehow damaged? Why would the original AND the star note both be released?

Conder101

Silverandvinyl,

The serial numbers are printed on during a seperate pass through the printing press and they tend to wander a bit because ecah sheet isn't in the exact smae position in the press as it comes through. I have seen serial nubers to far off that a couple of the number were into the scrollwork. The differring psoitions on these two notes means nothing.

Ijester,

They do not try to replace a damaged note with a star of the same serial number just with A star note to keep the overall serial number counts of the blocks of notes shipped out to the Fed. A brick of notes contains 4,000 notes so if it starts with serial #1 and ends with 4,000 and the count is 4,000 they are happy. They don't care that star note 8374 is in the middle of the block somewhere.

Usually things like these notes are seen in Unc because they tend to come from tellers at banks that handle a lot of new currency straight from the Fed. They keep a new note for some reason and then when the next series is produced they watch the serial number blocks that they get in from the Fed until they get a block that should contain the same serial number and they pull that one out too. Some currency dealers have arrangements with these teller to watch for certain blocks/bricks and call them when they come in and they just buy the whole brick. That is how they can offer thngs like radar notes repeaters, solid serial numbers, low numbers etc. The tellers simply let them know when the right bricks have arrived. Probably the teller buys them and sells them to the dealer at a small profit. Then the dealer pulls the good ones, sells them for his profits, and deposits the rest. In this case the notes simply haven't been handled well, or rather too much.

DMWJR

My $40 offer is open at any time. I like crazy things like that. I have Fiver with a solid serial number - 66666666.

Any body want to play Liar's poker?

silverandvinyl

conder: Thank you for that information.I hope the bills are for real.It would be a great find.If the bills are real,would one of the bills be a so-called error bill because of the points I make between the two?

leothelyon

Here are more same notes on ebay but your two notes are from the same city.

Leo

jtryka

I echo what conder said, the seal and serial numbers are added later, and these two seem fine to me. I have some that are really off, with the seal almost a quarter inch off center (I think they were Series 1995 from the Cleveland Fed, seems that run had some issues). I will try to post pics if I can find them. So I don't think these would qualify as errors. Still a great find, did you buy a lotto ticket too?

BRdude

Cool find, and the info given by Condor and Cointageous is pretty good info. DMWJR, your solid 6 $5er is a real good one also, but solid 9's are the king of solids.

Gilbert

I can't comment much on the authenticity of dollar bills, but, the "G" (bottom left) of second note looks a little oblong (widening at bottom), the "A" looks askew, and the serif on the upper "G" looks questionable. I suppose it could be the way they look OR just the image on the computer, but considering the odds of winding up with these similar items WITHOUT ordering them, one can't help but overly scrutinze them.

AbesNeighbor

I can tell you they feel authentic..but that doesn't mean anything. I do appreciate all the comments and offers. Really don't know what I will do for now. Probably put them away a nd think about it.

I am new to coin collecting... Trying to complete a $2 1/2 gold indian set and also modern platinum.

Then this guy offers these dollar bills to me at face value...In any case it has been interesting. I've been to the Federal Reserve site as suggested and read all of the posts. I definitly appreciate the expertise.

Dan

drsvenghali

Just a recap for you...

Both notes are most likely real. (Who would go throught the effort of expertly forging low value, modern $1 bills?) Notes are printed in three seperate steps. The serial numbers (and treasury seal) are the the third and final step. It is not uncommon to have a digit or whole printing shifted.

These notes are from two series (1988 and 1988A). So it is possible to have the same serial number as renumbering starts with each new series.

Finding both in circulation is amazing, especially with such low serial numbers. Of course, all those zeros in the serial probably made them stand out better, but amazing none the less.

Some dealers specialize in matched sets as mentioned previously. Usually CU sets or groups are most sought after. Premium varies.

$40 isn't a bad offer.


We currency folks get around to it after a while. Just isn't much to keep us entertained on our board that often.

leothelyon

We currency folks get around to it after a while. Just isn't much to keep us entertained on our board that often.

Well, your most certainly welcome to stop back by here anytime. If there is one thing nice I can say
about the folks around here, they sure know how to throw a hoedown of a party to liven it up.

Leo

Keyrock

I agree not too unique. There are numerous dealers that focus on district sets with all of the districts having the same serial number. I have seen district sets from 1963 with the same serial number as a 1995 series.

It would still be a neat conversation piece.

Bamaboy2636

I just ran accross this forum and wanted to ask I got 2 1$ bills with my check that were printed together the same exact everything just that last serial number was dif i was told could be worth something but I dunno if anyone could help I'll let u no wat year and set when I get back home and boost pics one is 70 and other 71 I'll post more info like I said when I get back home thanks ahead

AUandAG

Consecutive serial number twos are uncommon, how many do you want??? My bank has them in $50 packs (25 notes to a pack with consecutive numbers). I give them to grand kids for Christmas and they spend them.

bob:)
PS: this is really not an offer to shag them for you.....do your own shagging!

Welcome to the forum and enjoy.

bob:)

CaptHenway

New notes are normally issued in large packs of consecutive numbers. It simplifies the Fed's bookkeeping.

As to the two notes in the zombie thread's OP with the same serial number but different series, it used to be fairly common for somebody in the Fed's distribution system to divert the first brick of a numbering run (such as A00000001B through A00008000B) to currency dealers willing to pay a strong premium for it. The dealer would then have the highly desireable single digit numbers (00000001 through 00000009) to sell to collectors, plus the less desirable but still worth a premium double digits.

Triple digits numbers are not in big demand, unless they are all the same (such as 777), so whoever controlled these two bricks probably just paired up matching numbers and sold them as novelty pairs.

coindeuce

Bamaboy - it isn't cool to revive a 15 year old thread that has no relevance to your topic. And for the record, consecutive serial number $1 FRN's are common as a grain of sand. You can often get commercial banks to obtain unbroken new packs of 50 - $1 FRN's for face value.

thebeav

I got pretty deep before I realized this was a 3 hundred year old thread. Thanks.........

oih82w8

There should be some way to designate old threads by color or a tombstone for threads over a year old.

ricko

@Bamaboy2636...Welcome aboard..... Quite an entrance... on a 15 year old thread... what do you do for an encore?? Cheers, RickO

Wabbit2313

Same person, different name.

BillDorie

Here's what's going on. The bills are low serial numbers. That's why they were saved. Different series; numbering starts over. Since they were both saved, it is only a matter of matching them up, No big deal. I have 4 pairs like these; all fancy or low numbers. What is a very big deal is to have matching serial numbers, including prefix and suffix letters, with a RANDOM NUMBER. As though you pulled a bill from your wallet and tried to match it up. I have such a pair, both C40901138A. One series 1993, other 2009. Both certified by PMG, both taken from circulation (one is VF30, other is VF35). There were 9 billion series 2009 one dollar bills printed; but only one could have the same number, letters. The person I got them from says the person he got them from has no idea how this happened. 9 billion to one is impossible odds. The life of a dollar bill is about 5 years.