Two ordinary-looking one-dollar bills can carry the exact same serial number—and collectors are searching for the surviving matches.

Today’s Check Your Change find is a particular Series 2013 $1 star note from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. A printing mix-up caused the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s Washington and Fort Worth facilities to produce overlapping serial-number runs. Because every Federal Reserve note is supposed to have a unique serial number, finding both notes with the same number creates a collectible matched pair. 

What should you look for?

Examine the front of every one-dollar bill and check for all four of these details:

• It says Series 2013 near the lower-right side of George Washington’s portrait.

• The serial number begins with B, identifying the New York Federal Reserve district.

• A star appears at the end of the serial number.

• The number falls within one of these ranges:

  • B00000001★ through B00250000★
  • B03200001★ through B09600000★

Notes numbered from B00250001★ through B03200000★ are not part of the duplicated runs. 

Also look near the small front plate number for the letters FW. An FW indicates that the note was printed in Fort Worth. Notes printed in Washington do not have the FW mark.

A true matched pair consists of two Series 2013 notes with the identical complete serial number—one carrying the FW mark and one without it.

How did this happen?

Star notes replace bills damaged during production. Their stars prevent their serial numbers from being confused with the numbers assigned to regular notes.

During separate Series 2013 production runs, Washington and Fort Worth were accidentally assigned overlapping serial-number ranges. Millions of potential duplicate notes were printed, but most entered circulation independently and may now be lost, worn out or sitting in wallets and collections many miles apart.

That makes a single eligible note only a candidate. Its duplicate must still be located before it becomes part of a confirmed matched pair.

How much could one be worth?

Single eligible notes have sometimes traded for approximately $20 to $50 in circulated condition, while crisp examples may attract higher offers. This market is speculative: without its matching twin, the bill is not a confirmed duplicate pair, and its value depends heavily on condition and buyer interest. 

Confirmed matches are much more significant. One verified pair sold through an eBay transaction for $25,000 on October 9, 2022. That was an exceptional result—not a guaranteed or typical value for every pair. Authentication, condition and current demand determine what another matched pair might bring. 

What should you do if you find one?

Do not wash, iron, press, flatten, tape or laminate the note. Handle it gently, photograph both sides and record the complete serial number, including the initial B and ending star.

Place it flat inside an archival-quality, PVC-free currency sleeve. You can then submit the number to a Series 2013 duplicate-note matching project or have the note examined by a knowledgeable currency professional. Never mail the original bill to an unknown person simply because they claim to possess its match.

Have you found an eligible 2013 star note—or do you have old currency, coins or a broader collection? The Patriot Vault may be interested in buying your coin, currency or collection. Reply to this post and tell us what you have!