Ink Smear Error Value
An ink smear error is exactly what it sounds like: excess ink transferred onto the note during printing, leaving a streak or blotch that should not be there. It can come from an over-inked plate, from a roller depositing ink where it should not, or from a sheet contacting wet ink on the way through the press.
The market values these by how obvious the smear is and where it lands. A faint streak in the margin is worth little. A heavy smear across the portrait photographs dramatically and sells accordingly.
Quick facts
- Cause
- Over-inked plate, roller contact, or wet-ink transfer
- Appearance
- Streak or blotch of ink outside the intended design
- Related error
- Offset transfer, where a mirror image appears on the wrong side
- What it is not
- Stains, pen marks, or dye from a security pack
Ink Smear Errors value by condition
| Condition | Estimated value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Light smear in the margin | $30 to $80 | |
| Moderate smear across the design | $80 to $200 | |
| Heavy smear over the portrait | $200 to $500 | |
| Full offset transfer, face to back | $150 to $600 | |
| Solvent smear affecting multiple elements | $250 to $900 |
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Press smear versus stain
The distinction that determines whether the note is worth $200 or $1. A press smear is made of the same ink used to print the note, in the same color, and it sits on top of the design with the same sheen. It has hard edges where the ink was wiped or transferred.
A stain from coffee, oil, dye, or a marker soaks into the paper fibers, spreads with soft edges, and is usually a color that appears nowhere else on the note. Dye pack stains from bank robberies are a specific and well-known category of worthless red staining.
Offset transfers
A related error occurs when a sheet passes through the press before the previous sheet's ink has dried, picking up a mirror image of the design on its opposite side. Collectors call this an offset transfer, and a full offset showing the entire reverse design mirrored on the face is a striking piece.
Partial offsets are more common and worth less. A full, sharp offset transfer is the one that draws real money.
Frequently asked questions
Is a bill with ink on it worth anything?
Only if the ink came from the printing press. Genuine press smears use the same ink as the design and sit on the surface with hard edges. Stains and marker soak into the paper and are worth face value.
How much is an ink smear error worth?
Typically $50 to $300. Heavy smears across the portrait and full offset transfers bring the most.
What is an offset transfer?
Wet ink from one sheet transferring to the next, leaving a mirror image of the design on the wrong side of the note. Full sharp offsets are the desirable version.