Can someone please explain in English why star notes are created? I found a 1999 $5 Star today, BTW. Is it worth anything over face?
Star notes were created as replacements for damaged or poor quality notes that were discovered at the BEP. Prior to using star notes, they had to hand replicate the serial numbers of the notes that were damaged. By having sheets of star notes available, any damaged sheet would just be replaced by the star sheet. Star sheets also replaced the 0000000 serial number that would occur with the millionth note was produced.
Here's the info for you in English: Star notes are created by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP for short; they're the guys who print the bills, just like the Philly and Denver mints mint coins). Every time the BEP catches a note that's printed with an error, they destroy the old note and re-print a new one with the same serial number as the old one, except they add a star so that you can tell it is a replacement. As for value, obviously the older the note is, the more it'll be worth. However, star notes with lower serial numbers (something like A00004118A, as an example) even in more modern years like 1999 are worth a small premium to a collector. I wouldn't get your hopes up too far though - unless you want to hold onto it for 60 years, the value won't be enough to take a vacation on! If you do plan on keeping it, put it in a safe place, keep it flat, and keep it as crease-free as you can, because any creases or wear-and-tear on the note will decrease the value significantly. I hope this has helped! Good luck with your finds! ~AJ
Star notes were adopted by many countries to signify that the note is a replacement for a faulty one bearing the same number. New Zealand star notes are fairly common in the case of some of the $1 & $2 notes,but the Aussie star notes (pre-decimal) are worth a lot of money.In some countries,a special prefix is used to indicate a replacement note.In New Zealand's 1992-99 series of paper notes,the letters 'ZZ' was used.In Scotland,it was 'Z/1'. Aidan.
Serial numbers on star notes, at least the American version, do not match the serial numbers of the notes they replace. It would be far too complicated to make them match up. To use a simple story, let's say for a moment you have a stack of 100 $1 notes. The human inspector discovers note #68 has a terrible ink spill on it. Note #68 is removed and destroyed, and that destruction is recorded. A star note is taken from a pile of star notes to replace #68. That way, the original pile of notes is still 100 strong. That keeps BEP accounting straight.
star notes star note explained--- at the BEP the workers work in 12 hour shifts,,,12 on 12 off==1 24hour day,,,day shift,,grave shift,,,star notes are the bills that were made on the grave yard shift,,,DAAA DING DING DING
