ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / PERSONAL FINANCE

Man who found a 'super cool' $5 bill was stunned when people told him its value could 'skyrocket'

The bill with a printing error could multiply in value if it grabs collectors' attention.
PUBLISHED SEP 17, 2024
Screenshot from the Reddit Post u/Jupidness
Screenshot from the Reddit Post u/Jupidness

A man was pleasantly surprised to learn that his weird-looking $5 bill could be a family heirloom. Justin Rivera shared an image of the bill on Reddit's forum r/MildlyInteresting and was told by users that it could be interesting for collectors. Experts shared with Newsweek that the bill has the potential to appreciate in value exponentially, once collectors take interest. 

Image Source: Pexels/Karolina Grabowska
Image Source: Pexels/Karolina Grabowska

Rivera told Newsweek that he discovered the $5 bill while making an offering at a Bible study session. The bill had a major printing error. It seemed "super cool" so Rivera decided to keep it safe. The note features a wide left margin with the print pushed extremely to the right, leaving no margin on that side.

His post on Reddit went viral with several users speculating the value of the unique note. "Misprints and error notes that got into circulation can be valuable, and appreciated over time," suggested u/twcau

Screenshot from the comments | Reddit | r/MidlyInteresting
Screenshot from the comments | Reddit | r/MildlyInteresting

Jesse Kraft, assistant curator at the American Numismatic Society, told Newsweek that it could indeed be true. While the note looks cool, Kraft said that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing or the Federal Reserve didn't consider the error major enough to prevent it from going into circulation. So he wasn't sure how much the value of the note could increase.

Rivera's $5 bill is an example of a misalignment error and the value of such bills is limited, Kraft suggested. He added that since the bill wasn't in crisp condition, it could also reduce its value. 

Kraft also noted that apart from the misalignment, the note's serial number indicates that it is a replacement note. The star in the number means it was printed to replace another note that may have had major errors or was damaged. 

"The $5 bill in the image you provided is not normal, but not terribly valuable either," he said. However, he did mention that the value could increase exponentially, if two collectors take interest in the note, at the same time. Thus, all that's needed for the bill's value to balloon is a bidding war.



 

Rivera appreciated Kraft's evaluation and found it amazing that his note could hold much more than its face value. He told Newsweek that since there is hope that the value would appreciate in the future, he won't be spending it.

Apart from the anomalies, there is something called a solid serial number that can also boost any bill's value. In solid serial numbers, all digits are identical. According to GOBankingRates, $5 bills with the solid serial numbers "G88888888A” or "B55555555C" could be worth thousands of dollars. 



 

The Penny Hoarder mentions that there are about 11 million such $5 bills that were printed with solid serial numbers, thus it is worth looking into wallets and savings. Depending on the condition, such notes could fetch up to $2,000 from collectors.

In case anyone comes across a note with a solid serial number or other rare characteristics, it is recommended to have it professionally appraised by an expert or at a local coin shop.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The student also began flashing the cash to her closest friends and began drinking expensive whisky with them.
2 days ago
The TikTok content creator and her friend guessed that the price would be higher than average but still got it wrong.
2 days ago
Costco has introduced the measures along with the first increase in its membership fees since 2017.
4 days ago
The Maserati driving kid has shared several videos on TikTok showing off her money collections.
Oct 2, 2024
There are several reasons why it only costs $10,000 to open a Chick-fil-A location. Keep reading to learn about all the details.
Sep 29, 2024
Here are three key learnings from the radio host, bestselling author, and personal finance expert's money secrets.
Sep 26, 2024
Buying a car is a major financial investment and that's why you should know how to negotiate a car loan before you go to the dealership.
Sep 23, 2024
If you've invested in rental property, you should consider multiple factors when deciding whether it's the best time to sell.
Sep 22, 2024
The real estate market may have cooled a little, but if you received a text message asking to buy your house, you may want to investigate.
Sep 21, 2024
The man dressed in a cartoon costume during the cheque presentation ceremony to protect his identity.
Sep 20, 2024
You can block fraudsters from using your child’s SSN and other personal information by freezing their credit file.
Sep 20, 2024
An obvious perk of having a home with a driveway is the extra space. If you want to make some extra cash, here's how to rent out your driveway.
Sep 19, 2024
TikTok creator Lindsay wasn't happy with Cuban asking the working class to cut down on happiness.
Sep 17, 2024
The bill with a printing error could multiply in value if it grabs collectors' attention.
Sep 17, 2024
While some celebrities are infamous for being stingy, Derulo is known to be a generous tipper.
Sep 16, 2024
"They say money can't buy happiness, but Maybank knows how to buy frustration," she said.
Sep 14, 2024
While there could be millions of such pairs out there, only nine sets have been found so far.
Sep 14, 2024
Social media users suggest that this habit is a clear giveaway of someone's age.
Sep 13, 2024