A $1 bill worth thousands may be hiding in your wallet—here's what to look for

In 2014, a rare error by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing led to millions of $1 bills with duplicate serial numbers entering circulation. These bills, originally from Washington, D.C., and Fort Worth, Texas, could be worth thousands if matched with their identical counterpart. Collectors have paid up to $7,200 for such pairs at auction.

To identify potentially valuable $1 bills, check for a "Series 2013" date near George Washington’s portrait, a "B" Federal Reserve Seal, and a serial number ending with a star between specific ranges. Over six million of these misprinted bills are in circulation, but finding a matching pair is crucial for value.

In 2014, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing made a significant error while printing $1 bills, as reported by PMG, the world's largest third-party paper money grading service2. This error involved printing millions of $1 bills with duplicated serial numbers. Normally, each dollar bill is supposed to have a unique serial number to ensure its authenticity and to help in tracking. The presence of duplicate serial numbers on multiple bills is a rare and notable mistake, making these bills highly sought after by collectors, especially if they can find matching pairs with the same serial numbers.