1963 $5 Bill Value Guides (Red ink & Green ink Series)

The $5 banknote series is the first with the motto IN GOD WE TRUST on the back page and the last one with the red seal. You can recognize three types of these banknotes. This particular bill has 16th American President Abraham Lincoln’s portrait on the front page, while the Lincoln Memorial is on the back page’s center.

Besides the one with a red seal, there are also two varieties with a green seal. As you can guess, the 1963 $5 bill value will depend on this feature. Collectors always look for banknotes with a red seal, and their value is typically higher, particularly if it comes with a rare or specific serial number.

1963 small size $5 bill value
Series	Bills in uncirculated condition	Bills in circulated condition	Bills with a star (★)
*by Variety & Errors
1963 with a red seal	$15	$5 to $9	$20
1963 and 1963 A with a green seal	$10 to $20	$5 to $6	$25 to $35
*by Silver Reciclers
1963 with a red seal	$25	$13.50	$22.50 to $90
*by Old money Prices
1963 with a green seal	$12 to $20	$5 to $8	$30 to $40
*by USCA
1963 with a red seal	$18+	$5 to $7	/
1963 and 1963 A with a green seal	$18+	$5 to $7	/

1963 $5 Bill Value Guides 

The primary thing when defining the 1963 $5 bill is its condition. Having an uncirculated or worn-out banknote sometimes means the difference in tens or hundreds of dollars. However, their price also depends on a few factors, such as:

• Popularity
• Seal type
• Rarity and demand on the market
• Rare or atypical serial number, particularly Serial Number 00000001
• Provenance

1963 $5 bill types
Features	1963 $5 bill	1963 $5 bill	1963 A $5 bill
Type	US (Legal Tender) note	Federal Reserve note	Federal Reserve note
Seal	Red	Green	Green
Variety	One	Ten	Twelve
Star variety	One	Ten	Twelve
First delivery date	2nd March 1964	16th September 1964	7th June 1965
Last delivery date	27th November 1967	15th July 1965	9th September 1969

1963 $5 United States (Legal Tender) note

The US Bureau of engraving and printing produced five-dollar bills with a red seal in:

• 1928 (plus those from A to F)
• 1953 (plus those from A to C)
• 1963

It is estimated that over 63 million such banknotes were printed in 1963. You can find only one Legal Tender (US note) type, which average price is $6 to $25, depending on the condition. Pieces with a star are more expensive, and you can expect to get $22.50 to $90 for such a banknote.

1963 $5 Federal Reserve note

Ten banks (with the determined number and letter designation) issued 1963 $5 bills with a green seal and those with star serial numbers. Banks in Minneapolis and Richmond didn’t have a share in this banknote printing, so only serial numbers with ten different first letters were available on the market.

Banknotes with a green seal are typically worth their face value, but those in uncirculated condition can cost $12 to $20, depending on the dealer. As always, banknotes with a star are more pricey, and one can cost $30 to $40, depending on the condition.

1963 A $5 Federal Reserve note

All twelve banks (with the determined number and letter designation) issued 1963 A $5 bills with a green seal. Therefore, you can buy any of the twelve standard varieties and the same number of corresponding banknotes with star serial numbers.

As expected, the 1963 A $5 bill is less expensive than the 1963 $5 bill, and you should set aside about $10 for one.

1963 $5 Bill Errors

Even though people believe that old error banknotes are more valuable than modern pieces, it is actually quite the opposite. Since control is more strict nowadays, error bills are scarce and consequently more expensive.

Errors have been rare in banknotes from the beginning, but collectors occasionally find those with an altered digit in the serial number or some printing imperfections. However, you can rarely discover bills produced in 1963 with significant errors.

Therefore, collectors pay particular attention to specific and rare serial numbers and collect such banknotes instead of error pieces.

History of the 1963 $5 Bill

The National Currency Act that was passed in 1863 allowed the first large-size $5 bill printing. These Legal Tender notes in excellent condition are highly collectible nowadays.

You can recognize three modern $5 bill types printed from 1928 to 1963, but all had President Abraham Lincoln on the front page. In the past, Americans nicknamed this bill the FIN, after the German Yiddish word for the number five. However, this term is a bit outdated in modern society.

Nowadays, $5 bills make up 6% of totally printed American paper currency. Unlike other American banknote denominations, these banknotes valuing 500 cents have existed in three versions:

• United States (Legal Tender) notes that were printed in 1928 for the first time and repealed in 1967
• Silver Certificates appeared in 1934 for the first time and were abolished in 1967
• Federal Reserve notes that occurred in 1928 for the first time, and all $5 bills produced since then are in this group

All specimens appearing in circulation in 1963 were printed in Washington DC, and you can recognize:

• Legal Tender notes with a red seal
• Federal Reserve note 1963 and 1963 A with a green seal

Since 1963 $5 bills are the last series with a red seal, collectors highly appreciate them. On the other hand, modern versions with the same date but green seal are abundant and not collectible.

Features of the 1963 $5 Bill

The 1953 $5 bill with a blue seal was the last Silver Certificate series printed. By the 1960s, it was possible to exchange these bills for silver.

The US Bureau of engraving and printing produced 63 million $5 bills with a red seal and four million star banknotes in 1963. As I have already mentioned, you can also find 1963 and 1963 A banknotes with a green seal, but they are less valuable and collectible.

The front page of the 1963 $5 bill

The front page design includes the 16th American President Abraham Lincoln’s image with his name below. The red treasury seal is on the right side, while the sizable digit FIVE is on the left with an overprinted note.

You can see two identical serial numbers in the upper right and lower left corners, while the banknote’s lower part is reserved for the treasury secretary and treasurer’s signatures.

The back page of the 1963 $5 bill

The 1963 $5 bill with the red seal was the first banknote with the inscription IN GOD WE TRUST above the Lincoln Memorial. It was positioned centrally inside the vignette on the back page. It is below THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA placed along the top edge, while the denomination FIVE DOLLARS is placed at the bottom.

The number five is placed in the upper two corners, while the lower two are reserved for the denomination written in letters.

1963 $5 bill
Face value	$5
Number printed	Over 63 million with a red seal and 4 million star notes
Type	1963 Legal Tender Note (US note)
	1963 Federal Reserve note
	1963 A Federal Reserve note
Producer	The US Bureau of engraving and printing
Printing place	Washington DC
The front page	The 16th American President, Abraham Lincoln
The back page	The Lincoln Memorial
Material	75% cotton and 25% linen
Series	One with a red seal and two with the green seal
Bill height	2.60937 inches (66.28 mm)
Bill width	6.14062 inches (156 mm)
Bill weight	0.03527 ounces (1 g)
Seal variety	Red or green
Shape	Rectangular
Security features	Red and blue security fibers and raised texture

Other features of the 1963 $5 bill

The rectangular 1963 $5 bill is made of cotton and linen and comes with a red or green seal. This banknote weighs 0.03527 ounces (1 g). Its height is 2.60937 inches (66.28 mm), and its width is 6.14062 inches (156 mm).

Type

You can recognize three types printed this year, one 1963 $5 bill with a red seal and two varieties, 1963 and 1963 A, with a green seal.

Seals

The red treasury seal with a specifically designed toothed edge is positioned on the right. Besides this variation, you can recognize two bill types with a green seal at the same place. Plus, they have an additional black Federal Reserve bank seal left of the President’s portrait.

Serial number

Each 1963 $5 bill has a serial number printed on two places on the front page. They contain two letters, excluding Z, used for test printing, and O because it is too similar to zero and may cause confusion.

The first letter refers to the Federal reserve bank that produced this particular bill, and the line of eight digits follows it. In some cases, a star replaces the letter when the banknote is defective and inappropriate for circulation.

The star replaced the first letter on Legal Tender notes, while Federal Reserve notes have the star instead of the last letter. Since the law forbids printing two banknotes with the same serial number, these bills are necessary to keep the required note number in the series.

In the past, the star note was printed instead of the 100,000,000th bill in a series. However, it is not a practice in modern times, when their number only shows how many defective banknotes are in each series.

Signature

1963 with a red seal

• Treasury Secretary Clarence Douglas Dillon
• Treasurer Kathryn Elizabeth Granahan

1963 with a green seal

• Treasury Secretary Clarence Douglas Dillon
• Treasurer Kathryn Elizabeth Granahan

1963 A with a green seal

• Treasury Secretary Henry Hammill Fowler
• Treasurer Kathryn Elizabeth Granahan

Printing

All US currency is made with raised printing you can feel under the finger. Such a unique texture protects banknotes from counterfeiting and shows you that you have a genuine bill in your hands.

Paper

Most people tend to call banknotes ‘paper money,’ but that is far from the factual situation. All American notes, including 1963 $5, are printed on a material made of cotton with 25% added linen. Besides, you can see red and blue security fibers that secure them against unauthorized printing attempts.

FAQ about the 1963 $5 Bill

What makes a 1963 $5 bill rare?

Standard 1963 $5 bills are abundant nowadays, but a few pieces can be scarce and valuable. For instance, particular serial numbers are rare, making a bill containing one highly desirable and collectible.

Which 1963 $5 bill is worth a lot of money?

Manu Americans believe that old $5 bills are valuable, but it is not always the case. A few rare and unique 1963 $5 bills can be worth thousands of dollars, unlike practically worthless 1800s pieces in low condition. Let’s take a look.

• 1963 $5 bills with a red seal in a gem crisp uncirculated condition (an original pack of 100 pieces with a star) are worth $13,200
• The 1963 $5 bill with a red seal in a choice uncirculated condition is worth $4,600
• 1963 $5 bills with a red seal in a gem crisp uncirculated condition (an original pack of 100 pieces with a star) are worth $4,320
• 1963 $5 bills with a red seal in a choice crisp uncirculated condition (an original pack of 100 pieces) are worth $3,840
• 1963 $5 bills with a red seal in a gem crisp uncirculated condition (an original pack of 100 pieces) are worth $3,818

How much is the 1963 $5 bill worth?

You can get about $20 to $25 for one banknote printed in 1963, but only when it is in uncirculated condition. The used bills’ price is about $10.

Are there any rare 1963 $5 bills?

The 1963 $5 bill is not particularly rare on the current currency market, but you can win a jackpot with the one featuring a rare serial number. Such a piece is collectible and can be worth hundreds, sometimes even thousands of dollars.