The Fancy Serial Number Files: Binary Serial Numbers
Posted on 3/25/2025
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 Binary Serial Numbers.
PMG attributes a serial number consisting of ones and zeros as a Binary Serial Number. For instance, this Singapore, Board of Commissioners of Currency ND (1987) 1 Dollar has serial number 100000. PMG does not use the Binary Serial attribution for notes that are already attributed for specific serial number, such as Serial Number 1, 10 or 1 Million. (The note here is lot 142 in a Mavin auction in April 2025.)
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Another example of a Binary Serial Number is this Kulm, North Dakota 1929 $10 National Bank Note with serial number B000101A. (This note is part of a Heritage Auctions sale this spring.)
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Prices realized by other Binary Serial Number notes through Heritage Auctions include:
- a US 1928 Federal Reserve Note (Kansas City) graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated EPQ, which realized $11,400 EPQ in January 2024
- a Turkey, Banque Imperiale Ottomane ND (1863) 5 Medjidies D'or graded PMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated EPQ, which realized $4,800 in November 2023
- a Marmarth, North Dakota 1929 $20 National Bank Note graded PMG 30 Very Fine, which realized $3,000 in Jnuary 2025
- a Rwanda-Burundi Banque d'Emission 1960-62 1,000 Francs graded PMG 53 About Uncirculated, which realized $2,880 in April 2022
- an Italian Somaliland 1951 5 Somali graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ, which realized $2,400 in September 2018
- a Military Payment Certificate, Series 691 - $20 Replacement Note graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ, which realized $1,920 in May 2023
- a US 1928 $10 Federal Reserve Note (San Francisco) graded PMG 64 Uncirculated EPQ, which realized 1,840 in January 2010
- a US 1928 $100 Federal Reserve Note (Cleveland) graded PMG 25 Very Fine, which realized $1,800 in November 2024
- a US 1929 Federal Reserve Bank Note (Dallas) graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ, which realized $1,320 in September 2024
- a 1934 $1 Silver Certificate graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ, which realized $1,116 in April 2015
- a Macau, Banco Nacional Ultramarino 1963 500 Patacas graded PMG 40 Extremely Fine, which realized $840 in June 2019
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 Fancy Serial Number Files columns:
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