The Fancy Serial Number Files: Low Serial Numbers

Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®) is the world’s leading authority on fancy serial numbers, a popular segment of numismatics. In this series, we take an in-depth look at different fancy serial numbers. This month’s topic is Low Serial Numbers.

In the previous column in this series, we looked at notes with Serial Number 1. In addition to these notes, the paper money collecting community also puts a special emphasis on other notes with a serial number of 10 or less. For example, the Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland 2000-07 20 Pounds shown below is part of a group of five PMG-certified Scottish notes with Serial Number 3 offered by Heritage Auctions in an April 2024 sale.

Click images to enlarge.

Another example of a Low Serial Number note is this Egypt, Egyptian Government 1940 10 Piastres with Serial Number 10. It is one of several PMG-certified notes with Low Serial Numbers from the Ibrahim Salem Collection offered in a Heritage Auctions sale in April 2024. PMG recognizes the appeal of Low Serial Number notes with an attribution on the PMG certification label.

Click images to enlarge.

Prices realized from Heritage Auctions of Low Serial Number notes include:

• a US 1976 $2 Federal Reserve Note (San Francisco) with Serial Number 2 graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ that realized $13,200 in July 2022
• a US 1890 $20 Treasury Note with Serial Number 3 graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated that realized $132,250 in February 2012
• a Canada, Banque du Canada 1935 $25 - French with Serial Number 4 that realized $37,200 in January 2022
• a US 1929 $10 Federal Reserve Bank Note (Dallas) with Serial Number 5 that realized $17,250 in April 2008
• a Confederate States of America 1861 $5 with Serial Number 6 graded PMG 15 Choice Fine NET that realized $11,162 in January 2016
• a Canada, Banque du Canada 1935 $20 - French with Serial Number 7 graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ that realized $132,000 in March 2023
• an East Africa, Currency Board 1920 50 Florins = 5 Pounds with Serial Number 8 graded PMG 55 About Uncirculated that realized $45,600 in October 2022
• a Bahamas, Government of the Bahamas 1965 100 Dollars with Serial Number 9 graded PMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated that realized $17,625 in September 2016
• a US 1929 $100 Federal Reserve Bank Note (Chicago) with Serial Number 10 graded PMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated that realized $7,200 in April 2021

PMG, an independent member of the Certified Collectibles Group® (CCG®), has certified many exciting fancy serial number notes, including a Singapore Serial Number 1 that realized about $400,000 in a November 2018 sale. You can watch videos about fancy serial numbers, including the one below on Low Serial Numbers, on PMG's YouTube channel.

Collectors and dealers with fancy serial numbers can submit them to PMG for certification and attribution under an applicable grading tier. All fancy serial number banknotes must be submitted on a separate submission form. There is no additional fee for this service.

Other PMG columns:

• Collection Inspiration
• Counterfeit Detection
• Error Note Chronicles
• PMG's Featured Note of the Month
• PMG Registry Featured Set