Most old $10 bills are worth about $10-35 as of late 2026. Series 1934 and 1950 Federal Reserve Notes with a green seal, and the blue seal silver certificates of 1934 and 1953, were printed by the hundreds of millions, and a circulated one sells for face value or a few dollars over. The tens that bring real money are the less common types: a 1928 gold certificate with a gold seal at about $100-300 circulated, the yellow seal North Africa note of 1934A at about $45-125, the brown seal HAWAII note at about $75-275, a 1933 silver certificate at about $2,000-4,000, and the large size notes printed before 1929, led by the 1901 "bison" note at about $475-1,000 in circulated grades. Star notes, very low or patterned serial numbers and crisp uncirculated paper add a premium to any of them.
Every one is still legal tender, so none is worth less than face, but a bank pays $10 for a note a dealer might pay $150 for.
Quick answer
- 1934 to 1995 green seal Federal Reserve Note, circulated: about $10-35. Uncirculated: $30-100.
- 1934 and 1953 blue seal silver certificate: about $12-35 circulated, $75-200 uncirculated. The 1934B is scarcer at $50-300.
- 1928 gold certificate: about $100-300 circulated, $800 and up uncirculated.
- 1934A North Africa yellow seal: about $45-125. 1934A HAWAII brown seal: about $75-275.
- Large notes: 1914 blue seal $40-180, 1907 gold certificate $75-180, 1901 bison $475-1,000 circulated.
How to read an old $10, step by step
- Measure it. Notes printed before Series 1928 are large size, about 7.4 by 3.1 inches. From 1928 on, US paper money is the current small size, 6.1 by 2.6 inches. A large note is worth more than face in nearly any condition, so if yours is large, go straight to the large size table below.
- Read the series year and letter. On small notes it is printed on the face near Hamilton's portrait, as SERIES 1934 or SERIES 1950 B. The letter marks a change of Treasury signatures, and a few letters are scarcer than the plain year: 1934B on silver certificates and 1928C on Federal Reserve Notes are the two to look for.
- Look at the seal color. Green is a Federal Reserve Note, the common type. Blue is a silver certificate, printed for $10 from 1933 to the 1953B series. Gold is a 1928 gold certificate. Brown on the right, with brown serials, is a 1929 Federal Reserve Bank Note or national bank note, or the 1934A HAWAII note. Yellow is the North Africa note.
- Check for an overprint. The HAWAII note has HAWAII in large letters across the back and twice in small letters on the face. The North Africa note has no overprint; the yellow seal is the identifier.
- Find the district. On 1928 series Federal Reserve Notes the black seal on the left carries a number from 1 to 12; from 1934 it carries a letter, A to L, matching the first letter of the serial. District matters on a few series, most of all the 1928C, which was printed only for a handful of districts.
- Look for a star. A star in the serial number, in place of the suffix letter, marks a replacement note. On older tens a star often doubles or triples the price, and on the scarce types it multiplies it. Our star notes value guide explains how to check the print run.
- Read the serial for patterns. A serial under 1000, a solid such as 66666666, a ladder such as 12345678 or a radar that reads the same backwards carries a premium on any series.
- Grade it honestly. No folds and sharp corners mean uncirculated, one center fold about uncirculated, three light folds extremely fine, and soft paper with many folds fine or below. On a 1934 silver certificate the spread is about $15 against $75; on a 1928 gold certificate it is about $150 against $800 or more.
What small size $10 bills sell for
Figures are dealer guide ranges and recent sales for common districts as of late 2026. Add for stars, low serials and scarce districts; subtract for tears, stains, pinholes and writing.
| Series and type | Seal | Circulated (fine to extremely fine), about | Uncirculated, about |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 gold certificate | Gold | $100-300 | $800 and up |
| 1928, 1928A, 1928B Federal Reserve Note | Green | $15-75 | $75-200 |
| 1928C Federal Reserve Note | Green | $25-75, scarce districts far more | $400 and up |
| 1929 Federal Reserve Bank Note | Brown | $15-35 | $125 and up |
| 1929 national bank note, common bank | Brown | $40-100 | $150-400 |
| 1933 silver certificate | Blue | $2,000-4,000 | $7,000 and up |
| 1934, 1934A silver certificate | Blue | $12-30 | $75-125 |
| 1934B silver certificate | Blue | $50-300 | $2,000 and up |
| 1934C, 1934D silver certificate | Blue | $20-60 | $100 and up |
| 1934A North Africa | Yellow | $45-125 | $250 and up |
| 1934 North Africa (no letter) | Yellow | $1,200-5,000 | $10,000 and up |
| 1934A HAWAII | Brown | $75-275 | $475 and up |
| 1953, 1953A, 1953B silver certificate | Blue | $12-50 | $100-200 |
| 1934 to 1934D Federal Reserve Note | Green | $15-35 | $50-100 |
| 1950 to 1950E Federal Reserve Note | Green | $12-25 | $30-60 |
| 1963 to 1995 Federal Reserve Note | Green | $10-15 | $20-40 |
| 1999 onward, big portrait and color designs | Green | Face | $12-25 |
The 1933 silver certificate is the sleeper. Only the series year sets it apart from a 1934, so read the date twice. The plain 1934 North Africa note, without a letter after the year, is the other one people miss; the common North Africa note is the 1934A.
Large size $10 notes, 1861 to 1923
Large notes were handled hard and most survivors are folded and soft. Crisp ones are scarce and priced accordingly.
| Type | Years | How to recognize it | Circulated, about | Uncirculated, about |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Reserve Note, blue seal | 1914 | Andrew Jackson portrait, blue seal and serials | $40-180 | $90-500 |
| Federal Reserve Note, red seal | 1914 | Same design, red seal and serials | $200-500 | $1,350 and up |
| Gold certificate | 1907 | Michael Hillegas portrait, gold seal, orange back | $75-180 | $500 and up |
| Gold certificate | 1922 | Same design, last large gold issue | $175-700 | $1,200 and up |
| National bank note, Series 1902 | 1902-1929 | Bank name and charter number, McKinley portrait | $225-450, rare banks far more | $1,000 and up |
| Federal Reserve Bank Note | 1915, 1918 | Bank name in large letters, blue seal | $850-1,450 | $2,200 and up |
| Legal tender "bison" note | 1901 | Bison in the center, Lewis and Clark portraits, red seal | $475-1,000 | $2,500 and up, gems $9,000 and more |
| Earlier legal tender, silver and treasury notes | 1863-1891 | Various portraits, red or brown seals | Several hundred to several thousand | Higher |
The 1914 blue seal is the large ten most families have, and it is a common note: plenty sell for under $100. The 1901 bison is the one collectors want, and reproductions of it are common, printed on glossy stock with no texture.
Condition and other value factors
| Factor | Effect on value |
|---|---|
| Uncirculated, no folds | Often three to five times a circulated note of the same series |
| One center fold | About uncirculated, roughly half the uncirculated price |
| Heavy folds, soft paper, limp corners | Circulated price, toward the low end |
| Star note | Two to three times on common series, far more on scarce types |
| Serial under 1000, solid, ladder | Adds $20 to several hundred dollars |
| Tears, tape, missing corners | Cuts the value sharply, often to face on common series |
| Writing, stamps, ink | Deducts, though some bank stamps interest specialists |
| Pressed, washed or trimmed | Sells below an honest circulated note once noticed |
Common mistakes
- Assuming a blue seal means silver. Silver certificates can no longer be redeemed for silver, and a worn one is worth about $12-35.
- Spending a gold seal, yellow seal or HAWAII note. A bank pays $10 for a note a dealer will pay $50-300 for.
- Missing the series letter. 1934B silver certificates and 1928C Federal Reserve Notes are where the extra money hides.
- Treating any old green seal ten as rare. A 1950 or 1963 ten in circulated condition is worth face to a few dollars more.
- Ironing or washing a note to make it look new. Graders spot pressing and washing, and a processed note sells for less.
- Selling a family envelope one note at a time. Tens often turn up with old 20 dollar bills and old 5 dollar bills, and a dealer usually pays better for a group.
How WorthPic reads old $10 photos
WorthPic runs on the newest and most capable AI model available, tuned for exactly this kind of identification. From a flat photo of each side it reads the note size, the series and letter, the seal color and position, the district, the signatures, the full serial number with any star, any HAWAII overprint, and on national bank notes the bank name and charter number. It looks at folds, corner wear, stains and margins to place the note in a grade band, and gives an honest value range for that type in that band, with a separate note when the star, serial or district changes the picture. It cannot feel the paper, so a pressed fold, a closed tear or a trimmed edge may not show in a straight photo, and it will say so and ask for an angled photo under a lamp. It identifies and estimates. It does not authenticate, grade or appraise.
What to photograph
- The whole face, flat, in daylight, with all four corners and both serial numbers in frame.
- The whole back the same way, for the HAWAII overprint, the large note designs and any stains.
- A close-up of the series year and letter, and the seal, since these settle the type.
- A close-up of one serial number, for the star and any pattern.
- The note tilted under a lamp, so folds and pressing show in raking light.
- Edges and corners close up, for tears, pinholes and trimming.
When to get it looked at in person
A circulated 1934, 1950 or 1953 ten needs no grading; a dealer will price it at a glance. For a 1928 gold certificate, a 1933 or 1934B silver certificate, a North Africa or HAWAII note, any large size note, any star on a pre-1950 series and any serial under 1000, it is worth a closer look. PMG and PCGS Banknote grade and encapsulate notes for about $20-60 each, and a graded note sells for more because buyers trust the grade. For a 1901 bison in high grade, a rare national bank or a 1933 silver certificate, a currency auction at Heritage or Stack's Bowers is where the competition is. Our overview of old dollar bills worth money covers the rest of a typical envelope of old paper.