# The value of US paper Currency cut in two? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 2, 2001, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-us-paper-currency-cut-in-two/84902 "2001-10-02T03:48:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pessor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pessor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pessor)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-us-paper-currency-cut-in-two/84902/1 "2001-10-02T03:48:59Z")
I was just informed by a co-worker (conversation inspired by a ten dollar bill torn in half) that despite exactly half of the $10 being ripped off and completely missing that the remaining half of the bill is worth $5 at any bank. I want to be wrong so my half $10 will be worth something, but I can’t be. If torn-in-half bills had any value the paper system for currency would be a free-for-all. So I say bullshit. If you don’t have both serial numbers you got nothing. That ends my knowledge on the topic because it makes perfect sense to me. Am I right? ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-us-paper-currency-cut-in-two/84902/2 "2001-10-02T03:54:34Z")
If you have more than half the bill, it’s worth its full value. If you have less than half the bill, it’s worth nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Pessor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pessor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pessor)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-us-paper-currency-cut-in-two/84902/3 "2001-10-02T03:58:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by racinchikki \* > \*\*If you have more than half the bill, it’s worth its full value. If you have less than half the bill, it’s worth nothing. \*\* But wouldn’t there be a pissing contest? My Question: What if you have HALF?? ---
**Author:** ![Kaboodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kaboodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaboodle)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-us-paper-currency-cut-in-two/84902/4 "2001-10-02T04:05:02Z")
One of the first things you learn as a bank teller is what to accept in currency. The general rule was 3/4 of a bill or a piece with **both** serial numbers on it. ---
**Author:** ![Lockfist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@Lockfist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockfist)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-us-paper-currency-cut-in-two/84902/5 "2001-10-02T04:06:28Z")
\>\>If you have more than half the bill, it’s worth its full value. If you have less than half the bill, it’s worth nothing. Yeah, well don’t try spending that anywhere else but a bank. I had a clear 3/4 of a $5 bill and NOBODY would take that sucker. I finally threw it in my drawer and lost track of it. This reminds me of a funny story my “friend” told me. See, he used to have this trick where he could pull out the little tab they stick in the $20 (I think they do this on all the new bills except the $1). Anyway, he was able to remove this tab w/o any visible damage to the bill itself. Well one day at Eddie Bauer he was talking about this trick with another friend and the clerk asked to see the trick. As he was paying for his items, he extracted the tab and the clerk looked at the bill “I can’t accept this” she said. Dumbfounded, my friend had to pay for his items with a credit card. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-us-paper-currency-cut-in-two/84902/6 "2001-10-02T04:11:34Z")
The Department of Treasury will redeem it for you, if they feel it’s legal currency. SEE: [http://www.bep.treas.gov/section.cfm/8](http://www.bep.treas.gov/section.cfm/8) ---
**Author:** ![Pessor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pessor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pessor)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-us-paper-currency-cut-in-two/84902/7 "2001-10-02T04:15:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lockfist \* > \*\*\>\> > Yeah, well don’t try spending that anywhere else but a bank. I had a clear 3/4 of a $5 bill and NOBODY would take that sucker. I finally threw it in my drawer and lost track of it. > \*\* So why didn’t you try it at a bank after the first rejection?