1963B $1 Barr Note. Anyone collect them?

I got this in change many years ago. It's a 1963B $1 "Barr Note". Are they worth much money? I actually have two. They're in excellent condition. Probably from someone else's collection.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

No, they are not worth anything special. I think that Barr served for a very short time, which made some think this signature would be rare. But they issued plenty of notes with his signature, and they are not worth more than others. I have one also.

 

Well. I have two. So, maybe I'll donate them to a contest?? Yeah? Anyone?

 

Sounds like an interesting prize. After all everyone should have at least one of everything!

 

My LCS sells them for a lower amount. I have sold ones that were well used for $5.00 in my antique shop. I have a number of them.

 

I found one of these in circulation years ago, nearly uncirculated, so I thought may as well keep it. It only cost me $1 after all, and it has an interesting story if not a lot of value.

Joseph Barr was the acting Secretary of the Treasury from December 1968 until Nixon's inauguration in 1969. A new series of bills was authorized, Series 1963B, with his signature. (Interestingly enough Katheryn Granahan had already resigned her position by this point, but her signature was still used). People assumed this series of notes would be rare, since he'd only be acting secretary for about a month. But once the series was authorized, they printed millions of them, well into 1969 (they're not required to end a series just because the year it was authorized ends). So they were not at all rare as people assumed. Still, a lot of people saved them, believing they would go up in value eventually. But since so many were saved, they are not at all rare in uncirculated or about uncirculated condition, and still don't have a high value (unless they have "fancy" serial numbers or something).

Still, it's an interesting piece of history anyway.

 

Picture of mine, found in circulation: