US Banknotes

Check that note again. The first U.S. silver certificates were issued in 1878.

24 $20 bills are worth $480, even in a set with consecutive serial numbers. The only way they would be worth more is if they're older bills in good condition.

More information is needed. Most 20th-century US $500.00 bills were only printed as Federal Reserve Notes or Gold Certificates, and the last $500 US Notes were printed in 1880.

Please post a new, separate question with the bill's date, what letter if any is next to the date, and its seal color.

The star indicates it's a note printed to replace one that was damaged during the printing process. While some "star notes" can be moderately valuable, modern $20 bills are so common that the star may add only a couple of dollars at most.

That would be the $10 bill, featuring Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the Treasury, and the $100 with Benjamin Franklin (scientist, inventor, statesman).

Not in the United States. The last bills above $100 were printed in the 1940s and withdrawn from circulation in the late 1960s. They are still legal tender at face value, but are worth more to collectors.

$2. It's an ordinary $2 bill with a sticker pasted over Jefferson's portrait.

The US didn't print any $2 bills dated 1920. Please check again and post a new, separate question.

Yes. They were only issued as series 1988A, because a new US Treasurer had been appointed before the bills were printed.

If the bill is dated before 1990, it was printed in Washington DC. For later bills, look to the right of the Treasury Seal. In very small print, there will be a letter and number such as D182 or H7, which indicates the plate position of that bill during printing. If there are the letters FW just before it, the bill was printed in Fort Worth. If not, then it was printed in DC.

The only US silver certificates with yellow seals were 1935 A $1 bills specially-printed for use by Allied troops in North Africa.

As of 04/2014 values are $10 to $20 in average condition, and $200 or more for an uncirculated bill.

The distinctive color and overprint were intended to make it easy to declare the bills worthless if they fell into enemy hands.

As you can see by checking the bills in your wallet, the only wording on the back of current $10 bills (except for the denomination) is:

- The words United States of America

- The national motto In God We Trust

- A caption identifying the image of the US Treasury building

The US doesn't issue commemorative bills. Please check your bill again and post a new, separate question including its date, seal color, and what letter if any is next to the date.

You don't have to copy the serial number because that rarely helps ID a bill for evaluation.

The stars are used for what the treasury calls "Replacement notes". No two bills can have the same serial number, so if a bill needs to be reprinted for any reason, a star is added so the serial number is different.

Some collectors like the star notes, because they're rarer than regular notes, but on something as recent as 2009 I wouldn't expect much of a premium. You could take it to a dealer for an estimate if you like, but unless it's in pristine condition, I'd expect that your twenty-dollar note is worth exactly twenty dollars.

Odds are that it's a replica. Check the serial number on it. If it's on this list, it's a known replica: 8470, 9825, 14077, 22462, 31680, 32515, 40674, 40679, 45447, 45951, 45956, 55411, 83185.

If you're still unsure, bring it to a coin/currency dealer for appraisal.

Only one series of 1977 $50 bills was printed so none have a series letter. Perhaps you're looking at the Federal Reserve District letter instead; "B" would indicate the bill was distributed through the New York district. If so, its retail value as of 01/2016 is about $55 in average condition and $65 if uncirculated.

F2 is most likely a plate position indicator. Multiple bills are printed at the same time on large sheets of paper and then cut apart to make individual notes. The position indicator tells the row and column where that particular bill was located.

The Treasury Department determines whose portraits appear on US currency, but they rarely provide specific information about their choices.

Certainly Jefferson is considered to be one of our greatest presidents as well as being one of the most important figures in founding the US, so it's reasonable that his picture should be alongside other men such as Washington and Franklin.

Older U.S. currency is still legal tender at face value, but may be worth more to collectors.

Note: silver certificates are no longer redeemable for silver (likewise with gold certificates).

A U.S. $100,000 bill is worth about $1.6 million

If it's paint and not ink from a printing error at the Treasury, it's only worth face value.

If the "paint" is actually US Treasury ink, you should have it looked at by a dealer. Many but not all printing errors can bring a premium.

Note that so many 1976 $2 bills were printed that any ordinary ones you might find are only worth face value. A nice uncirculated one might sell for $4 or $5 however.

All current US bills have 8 digits and at least two letters in their serial numbers.

$5 bills and higher have two letters before the digits and one after. The second letter before the digits indicates which Federal Reserve District distributed the bill.

$1 and $2 bills only have one letter before the digits. The Federal Reserve District letter is inside the seal on the left side of the bills' face.

It's worth exactly two dollars.

Please see the Related Link for a picture.