Here's a Specific $1 Bill That Might Actually Be Worth a Fortune

Some rare dollar bills are worth serious money. In fact, the one-dollar bill you have in your pocket may actually be worth a lot more than you think.

Next time you get some change in $1 bills, take a good hard look at their serial numbers. You may unknowingly be carrying a small fortune around in your back pocket.

Through the years, several bills and pennies have sold for a lot more than their value. There is currently a list of most-wanted serial numbers, and you might have one of them on one of your bills.

AN INTERESTING HOBBY

Like how stamp collectors spend huge money to acquire a stamp with a face value of 50 cents, there are people who have an equal passion for money. Numismatists collect coins and bills from all eras, and all over the world, but a recent craze has transformed the modest $1 bill into a sought-after commodity.

So how do you know if you have a fortune in your pocket or tucked away in that old piggy-bank? A website, Cool Serial Numbers, lists the most sought after bills and their serial numbers. An interesting serial number can push the value of your bills anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.

$100 BILLS

Numismatists shell out big bucks for "lows," or serial numbers from 00000001 to 00000100, "ladders," such as 43210987, "radars," which are numeric versions of a palindrome, "solids" such as the same numbers, and "repeaters," such as 82778277.

Low number $100 bills are the most valuable, with bills with the 00000001 serial number expecting to sell as much as $15,000. While exciting, sometimes bank employees get the last say on who these bills go to, as they can easily swap out a normal bill for a fancy one.

$20 BILLS

On TikTok, a viral video showed how a $20 bill with a mismatched serial number could be worth over $500. According to experts, the video is entirely possible.

In fact, $20 bills with mismatched serial numbers have already sold for so much more. In January, a bill sold for $396,000 after a Del Monte banana sticker was stuck in the middle of the bill following the printing process.

A FAD THAT'S CATCHING ON

It used to be that collecting bills was a rarified hobby, but the fad for collecting those $1 bills with the unusual numbers has caught on. According to Cool Serial Numbers founder Dave Undis, a $1 bill with the serial number 00000002 is valued at $2,500, while a $5 bill sold for a cool $13,000.

So before you count out those dollar bills to pay for something or make change, take a good look at those serial numbers. You may be giving away a small fortune.

CHRISTMAS CARDS

Just like those dollar bills, the Christmas cards you get in the mail and save in a shoe box can be worth a lot more than you think. According to Terry Kovel, co-author of the book "Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2019," some Christmas cards can be worth a pretty penny.

Collecting vintage cards is in fashion, and a good specimen can go from $10 to $50. Rarer pieces can rake in three, or even four digits. The older the card, the higher the value, so if you have some Victorian or Edwardian relics tucked away in the attic, you may be sitting on a small fortune.

Last but definitely not least, pennies may also be worth up to $200,000. A 1943 bronze Lincoln cent sold for $204,000 in 2019, and rare coins continue to attract bids from collectors.

While the best way to earn money is having several income streams, sometimes a person can get lucky. Whether it be through discovering rare bills and pennies in your wallet or through winning the lottery, sometimes all you need is a little luck on your side.