The United States Currency Program (USCP) is modernizing banknote production equipment that will result in nonconsecutive sequencing of new straps of U.S. currency.
Currently, new straps contain 100 banknotes with the serial number on the first banknote ending with “01,” and the serial number on the last banknote ending in “00.” “Star” notes replace sequential serial numbers on dollars that are removed because they do not meet quality standards.
New equipment will not produce the star notes that replace imperfect notes in a strap of Federal Reserve notes, although existing equipment will continue to produce star notes.
As a result of the new printing process, future serial number patterns in a strap of banknotes produced by the new equipment may contain gaps and will no longer be in consecutive sequence.
This new printing process will have a transition period lasting several years and will be phased in by denomination, starting in 2023. At this time, only the $1 denomination is currently in production. To learn more about this effort and view Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), visit the FedCash® Services: United States Currency Program Update page.