Star Note
Replacement notes carrying a star symbol in the serial number prefix, issued in place of notes withdrawn during printing.
Star replacement notes
When a note is found defective during printing it is withdrawn, and rather than reprint that exact serial number a replacement note is issued instead. Those replacements are marked with a star symbol in the serial number prefix, which is how you identify them.
Because replacements are only produced as needed, they are printed in far smaller quantities than regular notes of the same design — and that scarcity is what makes them a collecting field in their own right. To a casual eye a star note looks like any other; the star in the prefix is the entire distinction.
What to check
- The star itself — visible in the prefix, before the serial digits.
- Denomination and series — star notes exist across designs and denominations.
- Signature and inset — as with any note, these place it in time.
- Condition — grade affects star notes as much as any other paper money.