Serial Numbers You Don't Have To Ask About

Agreed, special has a different meaning to different collectors.

Some collectors hone in on a specific serial number. Everyone has their reason.
I collect serial #12, so this pair was special to me. Same denomination, same district, same serial number, including the suffix letter, and both graded the same.

Here's a pair of uncirculated notes (raw) that have always been interesting to me.



A couple of RADAR notes from the same series (1998A), the same FRB (St. Louis), same serial number suffix (D), and same digits in serial numbers except for the central 2 digits (which couldn't be the same of course, but the six is a multiple of 3).

The series isn't particularly rare (410,400,000 H notes in the series), although the D suffix is the smallest (only 3 runs for a total of 19,200,000) number of notes (suffixes went up to I), but all of similarities between the notes made them interesting to me and definite keepers. Some might call them "special".

Really wonderful combo notes.

KK

I'll try providing the answer I wish I would have come forth rather than the sharp retort that was posted.

Plates are made here's a great detailed explanation by the BEP https://www.moneyfactory.gov/hmimplatemaking.html

The "working" plates (the ones that go on the press) are used to print the main parts of the notes: everything but the seals, serial numbers, district numbers and signatures on the front.

Backs are printed first. Then, the front is printed, which is also known as the 2nd print.

The unfinished sheets are inspected. IF problems are found with a specific plate it is either repaired and returned to service or replaced with another.

Next, the overprints are applied, this step is considered the third print. Afterwards, the sheets are inspected again. If defect(s) are found the sheet is pulled and replaced with an uncut star sheet off the top of the pile.

On to the cutting phase--sheets are cut, bills stacked and bundled. The bundles are inspected any that are found to be less than perfect are pulled out and replaced with a pack of star notes.

In essence, sheet star notes are "rarer" and typically have smaller print runs. Whereas, solid packs of star notes are more common.

I realize I may have misstated some information and I apologize in advance.

If anyone reading this has questions or wants something that I may not have gotten fully explained, explained I'll give it another go.

-MV

Coinfrog,

I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at.

I agree that Star note runs and regular note runs aren't correlated with each other, but aren't the same serial numbers used? In other words, an initial star note run starts with serial number 00000001 as does an initial regular note run. So, when a star note sheet replaces a damaged/misprinted regular note sheet then identical serial numbers (but one with a star suffix and the other with a letter suffix) are pretty much guaranteed aren't they? That is unless the star note sheet happens to replace the regular note sheet that has the same serial numbers on it.

Finding two same serial number notes seems like it would be difficult, and having them graded by the same TPG and get the same grade probably even more difficult, but since two examples have been shown, obviously it's very possible to do.

The BEP offers matched serial numbers on some of their Premium sets. This set is an example of the Texas $2 Step Anniversary Currency Set celebrating the 25th anniversary of the BEP's Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth Texas.




Matching serial numbers from the K-B and K-C blocks.

You are correct.

So let me ask another question:

I am assuming that the BEP prints a certain number of star notes in anticipation of problems during the regular run. I also assume that they don't use all the star notes. So, do they destroy unused star notes at the end of the production run? Or, are the star notes only printed at the end of the run and only in a number needed to replace defective sheets / bills?