Star Note Lookup ★
Found a bill with a star at the end of its serial? Enter the details below to decode it, identify the issuing Federal Reserve Bank, estimate its rarity — and check whether it also hides a fancy serial pattern.
How to Read a Star Note Serial
Every character on the bill tells you something. Here is the anatomy of a typical serial.
Star Note Rarity Scale
Collectors rank star notes by run size — how many replacement notes the BEP printed in that batch. Smaller run, bigger premium.
| Rarity tier | Run size | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra Rare | ≤ 320,000 | Highest collector demand; strong premiums even circulated |
| Very Rare | ≤ 1,280,000 | Highly sought after; solid premium over face value |
| Scarce | ≤ 3,200,000 | Above-average interest from collectors |
| Common | ≤ 9,600,000 | Modest premium, mostly in crisp condition |
| Abundant | > 9,600,000 | Minimal premium — spend unless it has something extra |
What Makes a Star Note Valuable
Run size leads, but these four factors decide the real price.
Run size
The smaller the BEP's replacement batch, the rarer the note. This is the #1 price driver — see the scale above.
Condition
Crisp uncirculated notes earn multiples of circulated ones. Never fold, clean, or "press" a collectible note.
Fancy serial
A star note that is ALSO a solid, ladder, radar or low number gets a "double premium". The lookup above checks this automatically.
District & series
Small districts print fewer notes, and older series have had decades to disappear from circulation.