What does it mean when US paper currency has an asterisk after the serial number?

The star after the serial number is a replacement note that was issued to take the place of a defective note that was discovered.

Since it's too cost-prohibitive to re-issue the same serial number, it's easier to print up a bunch of star notes and then use them to fill the stack once the defects are pulled out. Most star notes don't command a premium unless they are uncirculated, and/or have a real interesting serial number.

Interestingly, A star or asterisk in front of a serial number means it is a replacement note. All of these notes are in very high demand so some issued in very low amounts can be very valuable, while others where issued in quite high numbers and be worth less.

This is not a phenomenon with regards to American currency only. US replacement notes are called Star Notes because a five pointed star is positioned at the beginning or end of the serial number. Older Canadian replacement notes are known as asterisk notes because an asterisk preceded the serial number. Modern Canadian replacement notes use a special serial number prefix.


http://www.querycat.com/question/6c5148b8e521b459087b95f7fcfd98bc

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_notaphily