So something interesting happened to me recently: I came across 20 consecutive $5 star notes! They were all brand new and I got them for just $100 worth of trade.
A friend who works at a restaurant stumbled upon these bills when he opened a fresh stack of fives at the start of his shift. Knowing I’m a collector, he saved a bunch for me. This bunch was part of a larger group of 60 consecutive star notes—can you believe that? Sixty $5 bills all in a row, each with a star! It’s the first time I’ve owned even one star note, let alone 20.
(Fun fact: The rest of the 40 bills made their way back into circulation after my friend and another tried to sell them unsuccessfully. So, they’re still floating around out there!)
For those unfamiliar with “star notes,” here’s a quick summary from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP):
“When an imperfection is found in a note during production after the serial number is printed, it needs to be replaced. A star note is used as a replacement. It has a unique serial number marked with a star instead of a regular suffix letter, while the flawed note’s original serial number is retired.”
Although I’m more interested in older coins and currency, I was thrilled to add these to my collection. They aren’t significantly more valuable than regular bills (at least the ones I have), but they do carry a premium because many collectors find them desirable, especially when they’re in consecutive order and pristine condition.
With this in mind, I started sharing them with a few friends, and just last week, I made a nice trade! It was quick! The first offer was $6 per note, but for just a $20 profit, it didn’t seem worth it to part with them. Then I got an offer of $6.75 per note, which was better, amounting to a $35 profit, but I still wasn’t sure.
Finally, I proposed something I’d prefer over cash—“Coin Credit.” Instead of taking $35 in cash, I asked for a $50 credit in my friend’s “coin store” (his coin collection). This worked out better for me and meant less cash outlay for him.
He agreed, and the deal was done! People often find it easier to give credit than cash, so keep that in mind for future deals. Just make sure you’re content with adding new coins to your collection instead of pocketing cash… but let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want more coins?
[Curious about what I got for that $50 in credit? Stay tuned for my next post!]
