The Star note doesnt look to bad, Unfortunatley these are both from a very Common series 57 and 57B but i guess you cant go wrong at face
The high for stars at the time was 99840000; the regular notes went clear to 99999999. It wasn't until the '80s that the high serials began to be used for the uncut sheets. (No uncut sheets were made available to the public between the early '50s and 1981.)
Not a bad strategy from a coin shop. To the right customer that would make them very happy and more inclined to come back.
When I was a kid I went to a Sedona coin shop and my dad got me a red seal $2, I think it cost $10-20. A few months later I went to te coin shop here (its called "American Bullion and Coin" btw) and got one in better condition as change. Definatly added to my respect for them.
The old coin shop I use to go to (it's been closed for years) would sometimes give me back change in bicentennial quarters, the occasional foreign coin, and $1 star notes. I was a young collector then so it was really neat!
My local coin dealer is a crook in some ways, but he does give out Ikes, JFKs, wheaties, and Indian heads in change all the time. Good deal, Randy.