Expert: Ronald Fern - 12/12/2011

Question
I also have a $20 missing the treasury stamp.

2004 A
GK54225149B
K11

The best actual appraisal i have found is $25-$30

if you have one close to the serial number above I might be interest in buying yours from you. Find me, Mateson Gutierrez on Facebook. I'm the only one so it should be easy :)

Answer
Hi Mat:

Thanks for your inquiry. I do not buy and sell through the AllExperts site. I do not feel it is a professional thing to do. I offer my knowledge without pay, but donations are acceptable. I do not have a similar note for sale.

You likely have a scarce error note. A lot depends on the condition of your note. Without seeing the note, or a photo, it is hard to tell. It also could be altered after it left the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. Someone could erase the one seal. Look at your bill in the area where the seal is missing to determine if it looks like the bill was damaged in this area. The retail value of this error, if real, would likely be about $100 to $200 to an interested collector.  Most error currency collectors concentrate on the lower denomination bills.

Bills are printed in sheets of 32 notes and in three phases. Reverse print, obverse print, and serial numbers with seal print. It is likely a separation sheet stuck was mis-fed as it went through the seal and serial numbers printing operation on your $1 note. The mis-fed separation sheet, or another printed sheet of bills, received that seal rather than your bill.  This would continue to happen until an operator noticed the error and stopped the machinery. The sheets, with the error(s), likely went unnoticed during the cutting and final inspection phase. There may have been several others with a similar error like yours to "escape" into circulation.

Here's link for you to view different types of error currency and their values.

Link: http://www.coinsite.com/html/uscurrencyerrors.asp

You may want to check US currency listings under error notes on eBay from time to time to see if your error is listed what this type of error note brings. Always try and get at least two opinions and try and deal with PNG dealers if possible. If you should decide to sell your bills to a dealer, remember they will offer about 50% to 60% of the retail value. Here's a link to find one in your area: http://www.pngdealers.com/dealersearch.php

Please remember to go to the experts site to rate this answer. Check the nomination box on the rating page below any comments you may have.

Thank You and Good Luck in your collecting.