Hello Everyone. I have an individual who would like some more information on the following item. He has a series 2013 $20 bill that appears to have a set of serial numbers printed on the back that do not match the numbers on the front. Also, the back numbers are facing towards the front instead of the back. Front S/N: MD39444996E Back S/N: MD39445000E Any information on what this might be will be greatly appreciated. Sorry in advance for the photo quality. These were taken by another individual and I have not seen the note in person. FRONT BACK THANK YOU.
They are offset serial numbers - a sheet of notes which had numbers applied first was over-inked, and when this note's sheet was printed it exited the machine, and lay on top of it. The excess ink was absorbed by the fibres on the reverse of this note, leaving traces of the other note's numbers.
@norantyki @Collecting Nut @Coins4Eli Thank you all for your replies. I understand this is fairly circulated, and with what appears to be purple ink on the back in the center. As for an estimate of value, does anyone have any experience or know of any similar auction pieces that have sold? As always, that you all for the information, it is greatly appreciated.
You rarely see an offset printing error on the serial numbers. In fact this is one of the only other examples I have ever seen. I found a similar note to yours that sold at Heritage not too long ago. https://currency.ha.com/itm/error-n...1933-82172.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515
As for the price I just don’t know. Here’s one that I own but I’ve had it for so long I can’t remember what I paid for it.
Although it is unusual, the nature of the error, and the condition of the note mean that although definitely more than face, the value will not be enormous. Based on others that I have handled, and recent sales of the same error on different denominations, I'd suggest $40-50 as a retail, but you might well find someone willing to pay more.
When the numbers were printed, a sheet of notes didn't feed into the press, the printer printed the serials onto the drum instead and the ink was transferred to the back of the next sheets of notes fed into the press. This is called an offset printing error. There will be several consecutive notes with that same serial number printed on the back. This is also why the serial on the front and the one on the back are not consecutive. If it was ink transfer from one note to another, the numbers would be consecutive.
