# Need help with possibly rare $10 bill **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124 "2009-08-20T20:57:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lurking\_Quahog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lurking_quahog/32/21274_2.png) [@Lurking\_Quahog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lurking_Quahog)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/1 "2009-08-20T20:57:45Z")
I have had this $10 bill in my possession for years. [Back](http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2477459120055413587JKYaAD) [Front](http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2580698240055413587ndqHoV) My Google-Fu has failed me, so I turn to you, Dopers, to perhaps impart some of your wisdom and/or knowledge on to me. The front of this 1988 ten spot is unremarkable. On the back, however, is something that I have never seen before nor since. You can see the usual stuff that you see on the back of a ten dollar bill like the picture of the Treasury Building, but superimposed over it (or under it) there is a mirror-image of the _front_ of a $10 bill. I can think of two scenarios where this might have happened (knowing frighteningly little about how the Feds print these things up): 1. The ink from the front of the bill bled through the paper 2. The sheet this bill was printed on was placed upon another sheet that wasn’t fully dry and the ink on the front of the bottom sheet made an impression on the back of this bill. Are there any money collectors out there that may have seen this before? Is it common? Is this bill worth anything more than $10? Wild guesses are welcome, but I truly am curious to know if I’m sitting on another [upside-down-airplane postage stamp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_Jenny). ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/2 "2009-08-20T21:05:19Z")
I’m sure it’s worth significantly more than $10 – errors like that are not supposed to get into the outside world, and so are pretty rare – but I doubt if it’s worth as much as one of the 24-cent stamps. ---
**Author:** ![Lurking\_Quahog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lurking_quahog/32/21274_2.png) [@Lurking\_Quahog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lurking_Quahog)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/3 "2009-08-20T21:21:49Z")
Yeah, me too. But am I sitting on a comfortable retirement here, or a twelve pack of a decent micro-brew? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/4 "2009-08-20T22:24:03Z")
Are you sure it’s a real treasury bill or just hoping? ---
**Author:** ![Lurking\_Quahog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lurking_quahog/32/21274_2.png) [@Lurking\_Quahog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lurking_Quahog)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/5 "2009-08-20T22:30:51Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Are you sure it’s a real treasury bill or just hoping? I have no reason to think that it’s not. It feels authentic. I suppose it could always be counterfeit. Which would tick me off, because I got this at a drug store that I used to work in pre-1993. I swapped out a tenner from my wallet for this one thinking it might be worth something. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/6 "2009-08-20T22:52:18Z")
> [@Tomczyk](#): > > Yeah, me too. But am I sitting on a comfortable retirement here, or a twelve pack of a decent micro-brew? 12 pack at best. Sorry. See #7 on [this list](http://www.usmintquarters.com/currencyerrors.htm). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/7 "2009-08-20T22:58:24Z")
Missed the window. eta: More than that, but not rich. A quick check shows prices ranging from $100 to $400, roughly. ---
**Author:** ![Lurking\_Quahog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lurking_quahog/32/21274_2.png) [@Lurking\_Quahog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lurking_Quahog)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/8 "2009-08-20T23:28:06Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Missed the window. > > eta: More than that, but not rich. A quick check shows prices ranging from $100 to $400, roughly. Cool. It only cost me $10. Doesn’t get me the condo in Maui, but I’ll take it. Thanks, **silenus.** ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/9 "2009-08-21T00:15:51Z")
> [@Tomczyk](#): > > Cool. It only cost me $10. Doesn’t get me the condo in Maui, but I’ll take it. Thanks, **silenus.** You still have to find someone to actually buy it, otherwise it doesn’t matter how much it’s worth. Tell you what, I’ll make things easy on you so you don’t have to take time out of your day and give you twenty bucks for it right now. A 100% increase in profit! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/10 "2009-08-21T00:20:31Z")
Take it to a reputable coin shop and they will be able to point you in the right direction. Also keep in mind that some people add this kind of thing to real bills as either art or a misprint scam. Needs to be authenticated. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/11 "2009-08-21T00:25:29Z")
Almost certainly real. We get offered this kind of error every month. They’re that common. What would be more uncommon is to find this type of error on a note from the 1960’s or earlier, when they inspected the notes better. Today, it’s print and issue. Having the offset on the front of the note is always more desirable than on the back. ---
**Author:** ![Lurking\_Quahog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lurking_quahog/32/21274_2.png) [@Lurking\_Quahog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lurking_Quahog)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/12 "2009-08-21T12:20:49Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Almost certainly real. We get offered this kind of error every month. They’re that common. > > What would be more uncommon is to find this type of error on a note from the 1960’s or earlier, when they inspected the notes better. Today, it’s print and issue. > > Having the offset on the front of the note is always more desirable than on the back. **samclem** , who are “we”? Do you work in a coin shop? If so, what would your professional opinion be as to its worth? It’s in pretty good condition. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/13 "2009-08-21T13:24:43Z")
> [@Tomczyk](#): > > Cool. It only cost me $10. Only if you paid $20 for it. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/14 "2009-08-21T13:34:51Z")
It cost him 10 bucks because he essentially removed the currency from his personal spending pile. If you take 10 dollars out of the bank and hang it on a wall, never to be spent, you are down 10 dollars. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/15 "2009-08-21T13:43:03Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > You still have to find someone to actually buy it, otherwise it doesn’t matter how much it’s worth. That doesn’t make sense. If he can’t find anyone to buy it, then it is worth_less_. Its worth is defined by how much someone is prepared to pay. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/16 "2009-08-21T13:54:28Z")
> [@Tomczyk](#): > > **samclem** , who are “we”? Do you work in a coin shop? Yes, he does. **Sam** is one of our “go to” guys when it comes to this sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/17 "2009-08-21T14:30:39Z")
[Here’s a list of completed listings on eBay for "offset error](http://completed.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=offset+error&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=faux&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_okw=offset+error&_oexkw=faux&LH_Complete=1&_udlo=&_udhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=200&_fpos=Zip+code&_fsct=&LH_SALE_CURRENCY=0&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_rdc=1). You may need to have an eBay account to see it. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Lurking\_Quahog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lurking_quahog/32/21274_2.png) [@Lurking\_Quahog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lurking_Quahog)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/18 "2009-08-21T14:46:27Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > That doesn’t make sense. If he can’t find anyone to buy it, then it is worth_less_. Its worth is defined by how much someone is prepared to pay. 😕 Even if I can’t find anybody to buy it, it’s not worthless. It’s still worth $10. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/19 "2009-08-21T15:52:08Z")
> [@Tomczyk](#): > > Even if I can’t find anybody to buy it, it’s not worthless. It’s still worth $10. Point. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124/20 "2009-08-22T04:30:49Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > [Here’s a list of completed listings on eBay for "offset error](http://completed.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=offset+error&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=faux&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_okw=offset+error&_oexkw=faux&LH_Complete=1&_udlo=&_udhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=200&_fpos=Zip+code&_fsct=&LH_SALE_CURRENCY=0&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_rdc=1). You may need to have an eBay account to see it. > > Joe That’s probably as good a guide as you’ll find. Notice, for those who don’t have accounts and can’t read the completed sales, they range anywhere from $60-150, with the most money brought by the offset on the obverse(front) of the note. So, anywhere between $50-100. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-possibly-rare-10-bill/507124.md?page=2)