# Stars on bills **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 12, 1999, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742 "1999-11-12T00:01:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 1999, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/1 "1999-11-12T00:01:00Z")
Looking at a $1 bill before, I noticed that one of them had a star in lieu of a letter at the end of the serial number (i.e. D4533729\*) Are they running short of letters? Does the star signify anything unusual? In any other respect, it’s just your typical garden variety 1995 $1 bill. If I send it in to the Mint, do I get a free Tootsie Pop? * * * “I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 1999, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/2 "1999-11-12T00:13:00Z")
Whew! That was close. I thought you were going to ask about the Star of David above the eagle’s head on the back of the one-dollar bill… Forget I mentioned it. ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 1999, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/3 "1999-11-12T00:16:00Z")
I believe the star indicates a bill printed to replace another bill that was damaged or destroyed in the printing process. It recieves the same serial number as the damaged bill, but with a star in place of the last digit. * * * God is dead. -Nietzsche Nietzsche is dead. -God Neitzsche is God. -Dead ---
**Author:** ![heretic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/46a35a/32.png) [@heretic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heretic)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 1999, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/4 "1999-11-12T00:18:00Z")
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta website ([www.frbatlanta.org](http://www.frbatlanta.org)): \ Notes are numbered in lots of 100 million. Each lot has a different suffix letter, beginning with A and following in alphabetical order through Z, omitting O because of its similarity to the numeral zero. Because serial numbers are limited to eight numerals, a “star” note is substituted for the 100 millionth note. Star notes also replace notes damaged in the printing process. Made up with independent runs of serial numbers, star notes are exactly like the notes they replace except that a star is substituted for one of the serial letters. \ ben ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 1999, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/5 "1999-11-12T00:36:00Z")
Thanks 🙂 I had tried the US Mint website, but a search for “star” jusr resulted in hits on the new dollar coin and “serial number” got me nothing. ## Stupid mint. Plus, no Tootsie Pop, huh? “I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 1999, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/6 "1999-11-12T00:39:00Z")
That’s on account of the U.S. Mint prints no bills. You’ll have better luck at the [Bureau of Printing and Engraving](http://www.bep.treas.gov/index.htm) * * * Livin’ on Tums, Vitamin E and Rogaine ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 1999, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/7 "1999-11-13T21:21:00Z")
Where can I find: The _old_ $2 bills (with the non-rectangular display on the back)? Where can I find the (novelty) “TWE DOLLAR” bill? From _Mad,_ in the 60s, the 3-dollar bill: “This is not legal tender…nor will tenderizer help it.” * * * “If you drive an automobile, please drive carefully–because I walk in my sleep.”–Victor Borge ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 1999, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/8 "1999-11-14T02:07:00Z")
It’s a wildcard for liar’s poker. ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 1999, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/9 "1999-11-14T02:07:00Z")
DrFid - I had to check – it does look kinda like the Star of David, doesn’t it? There are 13 of them - I believe representing the original 13 states. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 1999, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/10 "1999-11-14T04:05:00Z")
> [@](#): > > That’s on account of the U.S. Mint prints no bills. You’ll have better luck at the Bureau of Printing and Engraving I’d have better luck if I stopped drinking Windex for breakfast. Maybe then these things would occur to me on my own. Thanks 😉 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 1999, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/11 "1999-11-14T12:50:00Z")
Sometimes, just once in a while, you might want to check the archives before you post a question: [Why is there sometimes a star in the serial number of U.S. paper money?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mserial.html) Your comment about the tootsie pop was already done, SDStaff Wildbabe made it immediately she heard the question. The real answer is that it means that the bill was a replacement bill for one that was misprinted, and the gummint doesn’t want to have to issue a new serial number. * * * I had to edit this post to overcome a typo so the link would work. --CKDH [Note: This message has been edited by CKDextHavn] ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 1999, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/12 "1999-11-14T16:31:00Z")
Fair enough. Though the Tootsie Pop reference was a joke. Actually, I’ve read through the archives in full – I just occassionally forget what I’ve read in there. * * * “I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 1999, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-on-bills/4742/13 "1999-11-15T06:40:00Z")
\<\< Actually, I’ve read through the archives in full – I just occassionally forget what I’ve read in there. \>\> Very understandabobble. And I wasn’t meanin’ to rag on ya, I forget too.