Most old $100 bills are worth approximately $100-200, which means face value or a modest premium. Series 1928, 1934 and 1950 Federal Reserve Notes with a green seal were printed in large numbers, and a circulated one usually sells for $110-250 depending on the series and how crisp it is. The old hundreds that bring real money have something extra: a gold seal on a 1928 gold certificate, a red seal on a 1966 United States Note, a star next to the serial number, a very low or fancy serial number, uncirculated paper, or the big size of a 1914 note. Every one of these is still legal tender for $100, so no old hundred is worth less than face value, but selling a scarce one to a bank throws its premium away.
Quick answer
- A circulated 1928, 1934 or 1950 green seal $100 is worth about $110-250. Series from 1963 on are usually face value.
- Look for: the series year printed on the front, the seal color, a star by the serial number, and the size of the note.
- It is worth more when it is a 1928 gold certificate, a 1966 red seal, a star note, a large size note or fully uncirculated.
How to check yours, step by step
- Measure the note. Modern size notes are about 6.14 by 2.61 inches (156 by 66 mm). Anything noticeably bigger, around 7.4 by 3.1 inches, is a large size note issued before 1929. That alone moves it into a higher bracket.
- Find the series year. On small size notes it is printed on the front near the portrait, reading "SERIES 1934" or "SERIES 1950 A." The letter after the year marks a later signature combination. The series is not the print date; notes kept being printed under a series for years.
- Read the seal color on the right side of the front. Green means Federal Reserve Note. Gold or yellow orange means gold certificate. Red means United States Note. On a large size $100, a blue seal usually means a 1914 Federal Reserve Note of the later printing.
- Read the left seal on a Federal Reserve Note. On a 1928 or 1928A note it shows a number (1 to 12) for the Federal Reserve district. From 1934 on it shows a letter (A for Boston through L for San Francisco). Some districts are scarcer, but the difference is small on circulated notes.
- Read the clause above the portrait or at the top. 1928 Federal Reserve Notes say they are "redeemable in gold on demand." From 1934 the wording is "redeemable in lawful money." That clause is a quick check of the series when the date is faint.
- Look at the serial number. A star at the start or end means a replacement note, which is scarcer. Also check for very low numbers, all the same digit, ladders and radars.
- Check the condition honestly. Count the folds, look for stains, pinholes, tears, writing and whether the paper is limp or still crisp. A single center fold is noticeably better than many folds; a note that has never been folded and has full original crispness is uncirculated.
What old $100 bills are worth by series
Small size notes, prices for typical examples. Exceptional uncirculated notes and rare districts sell above these ranges.
| Note | How to recognize it | Circulated | Crisp uncirculated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 or 1928A Federal Reserve Note | Green seal, number in district seal, gold clause | $150-250 | $300-700 |
| 1934, 1934A to D Federal Reserve Note | Green seal, letter in district seal | $110-175 | $200-450 |
| 1950, 1950A to E Federal Reserve Note | Green seal, seals smaller than on 1934 notes | $110-150 | $175-350 |
| 1963A, 1969 and later small portrait | "In God We Trust" on the back | $100 | $100-150 |
| 1996 and later large portrait | Big off center Franklin | $100 | $100 |
| 1928 Gold Certificate $100 | Gold seal and gold serial numbers, green back | $250-600 | $1,000-3,000 |
| 1966 or 1966A United States Note $100 | Red seal, "United States Note" | $150-300 | $300-700 |
The series 1934 notes come with either a light green, almost turquoise seal or a darker green one. Collectors note the difference, and the lighter seal can bring a small premium in high grade, but on circulated notes it adds little.
Large size $100 notes
Notes issued before 1929 were larger and are collected as a separate field. The $100 values were printed in far smaller numbers than the $1 and $5, so even worn ones bring several times face.
| Large size $100 | What it looks like | Worn | Fine to Very Fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 Federal Reserve Note, blue seal | Franklin portrait, blue seals, large size | $250-500 | $500-1,200 |
| 1914 Federal Reserve Note, red seal | Same design with red seals, earlier signatures | $600-1,500 | $1,500-4,000 |
| 1922 Gold Certificate | Gold seal and orange back, Thomas Hart Benton portrait | $400-900 | $900-2,500 |
| 1880 Legal Tender, 1882 Gold Certificate and older | Various, ornate designs | $1,000 and up | several thousand and up |
The rarest large size hundreds, such as the 1890 Treasury Note with its green "watermelon" zeros on the back, sell for six figures. They are documented in reference books and auction archives, and are rarely found loose.
Gold certificates and the 1966 red seal
Gold certificates were payable in gold coin until 1933, when private ownership of gold coin and certificates was restricted. Many were turned in, which is part of why survivors carry a premium. Since 1964 they are legal to own again, and they are still exchangeable at face value. The gold seal and gold serial numbers on the 1928 $100 make it easy to recognize; unlike the large size gold certificates, which have orange backs, the 1928 note has a green back.
United States Notes in the $100 denomination were issued only as series 1966 and 1966A, with a red seal and Franklin portrait. They were printed in small quantities to keep a legal requirement for United States Notes in circulation, then mostly sat in Treasury storage. That limited supply is why a circulated example still sells above face, and a crisp one brings two to six times face.
Star notes and fancy serials
A star note was printed to replace a sheet damaged during production. On 1928 to 1950 series hundreds, a star roughly doubles to triples the circulated value, and 1928 stars are the scarcest. On modern hundreds, a star adds a modest premium only for short print runs. The full method is in the star notes guide.
Serial numbers under 00000100, solid numbers such as 88888888, ladders such as 12345678 and radars that read the same both ways can add from tens of dollars to thousands, on any series.
A worked example
Say an envelope holds three hundreds. The first reads "SERIES 1934 A," has a green seal with the letter G for Chicago, two folds and soft paper. That is a common circulated 1934A, worth about $110-150. The second reads "SERIES 1928," the left seal shows the number 2 for New York, and the text promises redemption in gold. It has one center fold and is otherwise crisp. That puts it near the top of the 1928 circulated range, about $200-300, and a dealer may pay a little more if the paper is bright. The third has a red seal, reads "United States Note" across the top and "SERIES 1966." It is folded several times with a small stain. That is roughly $150-200.
Together that is about $460-650 for $300 in face value. Taking them to a bank would hand back $300. Selling them to a coin shop would bring something like 60 to 80 percent of those retail figures, and selling them individually online brings close to retail after fees.
Where the prices come from
Paper money prices are best checked against completed sales, not asking prices. Heritage Auctions' archive shows hammer prices with photos for most series and grades, and eBay sold listings show what everyday circulated notes bring. The standard reference for catalogue numbers is the Friedberg numbering system (each series, signature combination and district has its own Fr. number, listed in the Friedberg catalogue and on auction sites). Searching the Friedberg number together with a grade gives far cleaner results than searching "old 100 dollar bill," which is full of novelty notes and reproductions. Prop money printed for films, often marked "for motion picture use only," and souvenir copies of 1914 and 1928 hundreds on thin paper are worth nothing as currency, and they turn up in estates more often than people expect.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a 1950 or 1934 hundred is rare because it is old. Hundreds of millions of dollars in these series were printed.
- Taking an old note to the bank. It is accepted at face, which loses any collector premium.
- Confusing the series with the print year. A "Series 1950 E" note was printed in the 1960s.
- Washing, pressing or ironing a note to make it look crisp. Collectors and graders spot it, and it lowers the value.
- Expecting the 1934 light green seal to matter on a worn note. The premium is for high grade.
- Pricing from asking prices on marketplaces. Many listings for old hundreds sit unsold at several times what they bring.
- Missing a star or a fancy serial because only the date was checked.
What to photograph
- The full front, flat, in even daylight with no glare, showing both seals, both serial numbers and the series year.
- The full back, to show the color (green or orange) and any stamps or writing.
- A close-up of the serial number, with any star clearly visible.
- The note held up to a light, which shows folds, pinholes, thin spots and repairs.
- A ruler alongside if the note looks larger than modern bills.
If the box also holds smaller notes, old dollar bills worth money and silver certificate dollar value cover those.
When to get it looked at in person
A plain circulated 1934 or 1950 hundred is not worth grading. Grading by PMG or PCGS Banknote makes sense for uncirculated notes, 1928 gold certificates and red seals in high grade, star notes, fancy serials and any large size note. Fees usually run roughly $25-80 per note for standard service, more for high values. Grading matters most for crisp notes, because a note that looks uncirculated may have been pressed or washed, and a grader's assessment of that drives the price.
A paper money dealer, at a coin shop or a show, can confirm the series and give an offer on the spot, usually below retail. For large size notes and rarities, a specialist currency auction reaches the most buyers.