While a $10 bill is always good to have, you might want to take a second look at it before using it at the store. That is because some examples might be worth well over $100,000.
Though there are currently over 2.3 billion $10 bills in circulation, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve, some rare examples could be worth more than their intrinsic value.
According toThe American Numismatic Association, a bill might be worth more than its sticker value especially if they have rare misprints, unique serial numbers, or even errors.
How to check if your bill may be worth thousands?
According to WealthyNickel.com, one of the best ways to find out if your bill is a real treasure is to locate the series date, which is found near the portrait.
Notes with a star (*) indicate that they are replacement bills, and tend to sell for more due to their rarity.
Similarly, if the serial number is the same if you read it backward, commonly referred to as "Palindromes," these are also sought after by collectors. Repeated digits in the serial number and early serial numbers of a printed year such as "1" or "4" are also sought after.
Here's a rare example:
- "First Charter National $10 bills: These $10 bills were first printed before 1874. All feature a Benjamin Franklin drawing and a red spiked seal. These bills tend to sell from $650 for poor-condition ones to over $13,000 for well-reserved examples.
- $10 National Gold Bank Notes: According to Old Money Prices, these bills are rare because they were only issued for banks in California. They were printed on yellowish paper and featured Benjamin Franklin drawing electricity with a kite. Even in poor condition, these examples could sell for at least $1,000.
- 1882$10 Brown Back National Bank Notes: These bills feature the same Benjamin Franklin drawing as the California gold banknote, however, the big difference is they have a brown seal and were printed in the traditional green color paper. Great condition examples have sold for over $2,000, according to Old Money Prices.
Here are some of the most expensive $10 bills ever sold:
1861's $10 demand bill
The first $10 paper bills in the U.S. were introduced in 1861. The bills featured President Abraham Lincoln’s portrait along with some intricate engravings and geometric lathe patterns. At the time, the bills were "immediately redeemable" in gold or silver at seven specific banks around the nation.
This particular example (ref. Fr. 7a) is one of only a few known that features the serial number "1," meaning it's one of the first ever issued. it sold for a whopping $381,875 at auction in 2014.
1878's triple signature $10 silver certificate
This example (ref. Fr. 284) from 1878 is only one of four currently known to exist. According to Heritage Auctions, two other examples sold for almost $40,000 in 2013 and $240,000 in 2018. Most recently, one sold for $312,000 in 2023.
1880's legal tender $10
This 1880 $10 bill (ref. Fr. 109) shows little signs of wear and is only one of two known examples. Most recently, one sold for $184,000 in 2006 and the other for $74,800 in 1999.
1915's $10 Federal Reserve bank note
With only 29 examples currently known, the 1915 $10 Federal Reserve note (ref.Fr. 817b) is extremely rare. Some are currently listed for sale for $7,000.00 but if well kept, these could easily rocket to over $126,000.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story has been corrected to reflect that $10 bills typically feature an Alexander Hamilton portrait.
