8 Rare $100 Bill Serial Numbers That Could Be Worth Thousands

Interestingly, a unique way to put extra cash in your pocket might actually involve parting ways with some $100 bills. While most bills, $100 or otherwise, are only worth their face value, others have unique features or highly sought-after serial numbers that collectors are willing to pay thousands for.

The serial number is a unique combination of numbers and letters that appears twice on the front of all U.S. bills. All of these serial numbers begin with a letter, which indicates the year that the bill was printed.

Some interesting or unique number combinations could send the value of a $100 bill skyrocketing, so be sure to check your Benjamins for these high-value serial features.

Editor's note: All estimated values are from Heritage Auctions records, unless otherwise stated.

Solid serials

Estimated market value: $19,200

A solid serial number means that every digit in the serial is the same. It's a rare feature on any bill, so you could make bank on a $1 or $5 bill with a solid serial as well.

When it comes to $100 bills, the highest recorded sale we could find was for a 2017A bill with an 88888888 serial, which is eight eights in a row.

Heritage Auctions records show the solid serial note, which was in near-perfect condition, sold for just under $20,000 in 2024.

Low serial numbers

Estimated market value: $15,600

A bill in good condition with any serial number below 1,000 could sell for a small fortune. Look for a serial that begins with five zeroes. A 2017 $100 with the serial 00000345 recently sold on eBay for $229.

Benjamins with six or even seven zeroes in the serial are where the true value lies, however.

Auction records show that one 2013 bill with an incredibly rare 00000001 serial number sold for $15,600, and a bill from the same year with a 00000002 serial sold for more than $3,000.

Eight-digit ladders

Estimated market value: $4,600

It's rare to find a true "ladder" serial number on a $100 bill, or any bill for that matter.

The feature is so rare that even "broken ladders" have become valuable. The eight-digit ladder means that all eight numbers are either increasing or decreasing in order, like 12345678 or the reverse.

Because bills with true ladders are so rare, it's difficult to find proof of recent sales. Heritage Auctions records show that a $100 bill from 1974 with an ascending ladder, 23456789, sold for $4,600 in 2005.

Star notes

Estimated market value: $2,440

A star included alongside the serial number on a note could add to value as well, as the symbols are added when an issue is detected during the manufacturing process and imperfect notes must be replaced.

Star notes become particularly valuable when paired with another serial rarity. A 1966 star note $100 that also happened to have a serial number under 1,000 recently sold for $3,680.

Star notes without bonus collectible features are still often worth thousands, like a 1950 star note Benjamin that recently sold for $2,440.

Binaries

Estimated market value: $1,440

A binary bill includes a serial number made up of only two different digits, like zeroes and ones.

Technically, the very low serial number $100 bill that sold for more than $15k was binary with its 00000001 serial. A binary 2017 bill with mostly zeroes and just two ones sold at auction for a whopping $1,440 back in 2021.

A binary combined with another unique feature could send value skyrocketing. Another 2017 bill that was both binary and super radar, with a 10000001 serial, sold for $2,640 at auction.

Repeaters/super repeaters

Estimated market value: $900

A repeater refers to a set of numbers that repeats itself in the serial number. A serial like 25892589 is an example. Bills tend to be more valuable when the set of repeating numbers is smaller, and a super repeater is a repeating set of just two numbers.

Auction records show that a 2006A super repeater $100 with a 02020202 serial sold for $900.

Repeaters, though not worth quite as much, have been known to sell for a few times their face value as well. One with the serial 88898889 sold for more than $550 back in 2021.

Super radars

Estimated market value: $480

A super radar serial number is made up of just two numbers in total. These serials start and end with the same digit, and every number in between is a repeated digit, such as 10000001. 

These aren't worth quite as much as the incredible rarities, like serial numbers under 100 or solid serials, but they still sell for a few times their face value when kept in excellent condition.

Auction records show a 2006A $100 bill with the super radar serial 98888889 recently sold for close to $500.

Bookends

Estimated market value: $300

A bookend serial number means that a set of numbers is the same on both ends. Three-digit bookends tend to be more valuable, but you could still make some serious cash with a crisp $100 bill with two-digit bookends.

Records indicate that a bill from 2017 with a serial number bookended with 15 sold for $300 in 2020. Adding to that bill's value, every number in between the two bookends was an eight.

Bottom line

While that crisp $100 bill you've had sitting in a dresser drawer for years could be worth serious cash or be your ticket to get ahead financially, the prices listed here were for major rarities, and most of the bills that garner big payouts are in pristine condition.

Even placing a bill in a folding wallet or handling it lightly could seriously reduce value.

Still, if you have a bill with one of these serial features, it's often worth it to get it evaluated by a professional to assess realistic value and resale price.

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