Have you ever thought about the possibility of having a $5 bill in your wallet that could be worth up to $280,000? Many people overlook the value of certain bills due to a lack of knowledge about their unique characteristics. Before you unknowingly spend a valuable bill, it’s important to be aware of which $5 bills could potentially fetch a significant amount in the auction market.
According to the Federal Reserve, approximately 3.5 billion $5 bills were issued in 2022, providing ample opportunity for you to stumble upon a valuable note. La Opinión compiled a list of five $5 bills that have been known to fetch hefty sums at auction.
One such bill is the US$5 of 1861 “For the” sight note (Fr. 1a), which features the unique inscription “for the” on its design. In 2007, one of these notes sold for an impressive $138,000. Another notable bill is the US$5 1861 St. Louis demand note, which was the first bill printed in the United States and played a role in financing the Civil War. In 2018, one of these bills was auctioned for $81,000.
The list also includes the 1890 $5 Treasury Note (Fr. 360), of which only 14 are estimated to be in circulation. One of these notes sold for an astounding $282,000 in 2013. Additionally, the 1914 $5 Blue Seal Federal Reserve Bill (Fr. 871a) and the 1914 $5 Red Seal Federal Reserve Bill (Fr. 843A) have been known to fetch $115,000 and $109,000 respectively at auction.
Before you make a transaction with a $5 bill, take a moment to check if it bears any of these special characteristics. You never know, you could be holding onto a bill that is worth a small fortune in the auction market.