Misprinted Dollar Bill Values
US currency is printed in three passes: the back, then the face, then the black seal, serial numbers, and green Treasury seal as an overprint. An error can happen at any of the three, and each stage produces its own recognizable failure.
Error notes are worth money because inspection at the Bureau catches nearly all of them. The ones that escape are genuinely uncommon, and the more dramatic and obvious the mistake, the more collectors pay. Below is every major error type with what it looks like and what it sells for.
Misprinted Bills
Error notes sell for $50 to several thousand depending on the type and how dramatic the mistake is. Full price guide by error category.
Off Center Errors
Off center notes run $15 for minor shifts to $500 for dramatic ones with design running off the edge. How to judge severity and price yours.
Mismatched Serials
A note whose two serial numbers do not match is a major error worth $400 to $1,500 or more. How the error happens and how to verify yours.
Gutter Fold Errors
A gutter fold leaves a blank unprinted stripe across a bill where the paper was creased during printing. Values run $75 to $400 and higher.
Ink Smear Errors
Ink smears from the press run $50 to $300 depending on size and placement. How to tell a genuine press smear from ordinary staining.
Inverted Overprint
When the seals and serial numbers print upside down relative to the face, you have an inverted overprint worth $400 to $1,500 or more.
Scan any banknote with Money Scanner
Point your camera at a bill and get the series, type, rarity, and an estimated value range in seconds. No typing, no guessing at the series letter.
- Reads the series, seal type, and signatures from a photo
- Flags star notes and collectible serial number patterns
- Estimates a value range by condition
- Works on US and world banknotes
