Paper money in Philadelphia
Sell Old Paper Money in Philadelphia
We buy old U.S. paper money, from large-size notes and silver certificates to National Bank Notes printed with the names of Philadelphia-area banks. Each note is checked for type, series and condition, then listed on a written offer.
Private appointments across Greater Philadelphia. We call back the same business day.
How old paper money is priced
Paper money has no metal value, so every note is priced on collector demand. Type, series and condition do most of the work, along with a few details collectors look for: a star by the serial number, a red seal, or the name of a small-town bank. A crisp note with no folds is worth more than the same note worn soft. Each note gets its own line on the offer.
What sets the offer on old paper money
- The type of note, like a silver certificate or National Bank Note, comes first.
- Condition counts most: folds, tears, stains and fading all lower value.
- Star notes are replacement notes and draw extra interest from collectors.
- Large-size notes from before 1929 are priced as their own group.
- The bank and town on a National Bank Note can add regional demand.
Paper money we buy in Philadelphia
- Large-size notes
- Silver certificates
- National Bank Notes
- Red seal United States Notes
- Star notes
- Older Federal Reserve notes
- Notes in albums and binders
What happens when we meet
- 1
Call or send the form
Tell us roughly what you have. We call back the same business day and set a private appointment at a time that suits you.
- 2
Bring everything as it is
Don't clean, polish or sort. Bring the jars, albums and jewelry box, plus a government-issued photo ID if you plan to sell.
- 3
Watch each piece get checked
Date, mint mark and grade for coins. Karat for gold. Non-destructive testing and a calibrated scale, right in front of you.
- 4
Take the written offer, or don't
Say yes and get paid that visit by cash, check or wire. Say no and leave with everything plus the item-by-item list.
Selling in Philadelphia
Old notes from Philadelphia banks and the C district
From 1863 to 1935, National Bank Notes carried the name of the local bank that issued them. Banks in Philadelphia and in small towns across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware put their names on that currency, and regional collectors still hunt for notes from the towns they care about.
That makes the bank's name worth reading closely on any old note you find. If it names a bank in Philadelphia itself, or in a smaller town somewhere in Pennsylvania, South Jersey or Delaware, it belongs to that group. The same type of note can bring different prices depending on the bank and the town printed on it. We price it as a collector piece with both in mind, and the written offer says so.
Newer notes carry their own Philadelphia mark. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia is the C district, so its notes show the letter C and the number 3. A drawer of old Federal Reserve notes from a local estate is often full of C notes. Many circulated ones are worth about face value, while a star note or an older series in crisp condition can be worth more.
Silver certificates turn up often in family estates around the region. They were issued until the 1960s and today can be redeemed only at face value, so whatever they bring beyond that comes from collectors, based on series, condition and star notes. Large-size notes from before 1929 are the oversized bills that look nothing like today's money, and red seal notes are United States Notes. We price both groups on collector demand.
Paper is fragile. Notes tucked in a family Bible in Germantown or a dresser drawer in a Manayunk rowhouse may have folds, pinholes or brown spots, and each one changes the price. Please do not flatten notes with an iron, tape torn edges or try to wash out stains. Bring them as they are, in whatever envelope, album or Bible they came in, and handle them by the edges in the meantime.
We look at every note in front of you and put each one on a written, item-by-item offer. Accept and you are paid the same visit, by cash, check, or wire for larger sales. Decline and the notes stay with you, list included. Bring a government-issued photo ID to sell, and call 215-798-9204. We call back the same business day.
Sellers come from
Questions
Common questions
Are silver certificates worth more than face value?
Some are. Silver certificates were issued until the 1960s and today can be redeemed only at face value, so anything extra comes from collectors. Condition, series and star notes decide that. Worn common notes often sell close to face, while crisp notes, older series and star notes can bring more. We price each one separately on your written offer.
What is a National Bank Note?
National Bank Notes were issued from 1863 to 1935, and each one carries the name of the local bank that issued it. Notes from Philadelphia and small-town Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware banks draw regional collectors. The bank, the town, the type of note and its condition all affect what it is worth. Bring any you find for a free look.
What does the C on my dollar bill mean?
It means the note was issued through the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, which is the C district. Notes from this district carry the letter C and the number 3. Most C notes you find in circulation are worth face value, but older series in crisp condition and star notes can draw collector interest. We can tell you which ones stand out.
What is a star note?
A star note is a replacement note, printed with a star next to the serial number. Collectors pay attention to them, so a star can make an otherwise ordinary note worth more than face, depending on the series and condition. If you have notes with a star, keep them flat and separate, and bring them to your appointment for a closer look.
How should I store old paper money before I sell it?
Keep notes flat, dry and out of sunlight, in a folder or envelope, and handle them by the edges. Do not iron, tape or wash them, and do not fold them to fit a wallet. If they are already in an album or a family Bible, leave them there and bring the whole thing to your appointment. We look at them as they are.
Find out what your coins and gold are worth. Then decide.
- Free evaluation, with no obligation to sell
- Every piece checked in front of you
- A written offer, item by item
- Paid the same visit if you say yes
Request your free offer
Three quick questions. We call back the same business day.
or call (215) 798-9204