1935 $1 Silver Certificate Value
The 1935 $1 silver certificate is the most common collectible US note in existence. It was printed across eight series letters, from 1935 through 1935H, over more than two decades, and the total run reaches into the billions. If someone hands you an old blue seal dollar, this is almost certainly what it is.
Common does not mean worthless, but it does set a ceiling. A worn 1935 is a two or three dollar note. The exceptions are the wartime emergency issues and the star notes, and those are worth real money.
Quick facts
- Type
- Silver Certificate
- Series
- 1935 through 1935H
- Seal and serials
- Blue
- Obligation
- Payable in silver on demand, redemption ended 1968
- Wartime variants
- Brown seal (Hawaii), yellow seal (North Africa)
1935 $1 Silver Certificate value by condition
| Condition | Estimated value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Well worn | $1.50 to $3 | |
| Lightly circulated | $3 to $6 | |
| About uncirculated | $7 to $12 | |
| Crisp uncirculated | $12 to $30 | |
| Star note, circulated | $5 to $20 | |
| Star note, uncirculated | $25 to $150 | Early letters run highest |
| 1935A Hawaii brown seal | $30 to $400+ | |
| 1935A North Africa yellow seal | $30 to $350+ |
Hawaii and North Africa ranges span circulated to uncirculated. Both were printed in limited quantities for wartime use and are the standouts in the series.
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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
Check the seal color before the date
Nearly all 1935 $1 silver certificates have a blue Treasury seal. Two wartime variants do not, and they are worth many times more.
The Hawaii note carries a brown seal, brown serial numbers, and HAWAII overprinted in large letters across the back. It was issued in 1942 so that currency could be demonetized if Japan invaded the islands. The North Africa note carries a yellow seal and was issued for troops in the North African campaign for the same reason. Both are 1935A series. If your note has a brown or yellow seal, stop and get it appraised properly.
What silver certificate actually means
The text across the top reads Silver Certificate, and the obligation on the face states the note is payable to the bearer on demand in silver. Until 1968 you could in fact walk into a Treasury office and exchange it for silver. That redemption window closed and the notes became ordinary legal tender.
The obligation is why people assume these notes are backed by silver and therefore valuable. They are not redeemable for silver today. Their value is purely collector demand.
The series letters, briefly
1935 with no letter is the first printing and the scarcest of the regular issues in high grade. 1935A is by far the most common, printed in enormous numbers through the war years. 1935B through 1935H follow the postwar signature changes.
For circulated notes the letter changes almost nothing. For uncirculated notes and stars it matters: an uncirculated 1935 plain or an early star note can bring several times what a 1935G brings.
Before you do anything else
- Look at the back for a HAWAII overprint before anything else. It is the single most valuable thing that can be wrong with an ordinary looking note.
- Blue seal alone is not a premium. Billions were printed.
- Uncirculated packs and consecutive runs sell for more together than the notes do individually.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still redeem a silver certificate for silver?
No. Redemption for silver ended on June 24, 1968. Silver certificates remain legal tender at face value and are worth whatever collectors will pay above that.
Is a 1935 $1 silver certificate rare?
The regular blue seal issue is one of the most common collectible notes ever printed. The 1935A Hawaii brown seal and North Africa yellow seal variants are genuinely scarce.
How much is a 1935 silver certificate with a star worth?
A circulated star is typically $5 to $20. Uncirculated stars from the early series letters can reach the high double or low triple digits. The series letter and the specific replacement run drive the number.
What does the letter after 1935 mean?
It marks a change in the Treasury signature pair, not a design change. Letters run from A through H across roughly twenty years of production.