Millions more banknotes were produced in August than a month and year earlier, data from the agency responsible for printing U.S. currency shows. Their combined value edged down from July yet more than doubled from August of last year.
Over 631 million in $1s, $5s, $10s, $20s and $100s were printed during the month for a total of more than $19.3 billion, according to Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) production figures published on Monday, Sep. 28. These levels compare to the prior month’s 566.6 million notes worth over $19.7 billion.
In month-over-month percentage comparisons, August saw 11.4% more banknotes while their combined value dipped 2.2%. In other monthly differences, there was:
- 76.9% more $1s;
- 10% fewer $5s;
- 12.5% fewer $10s;
- 47.4% fewer $20s; and
- 4.2% more $100s.
The BEP has not produced $50s for eight straight months and presses for $2s have been silent for seven months in a row. In January, $2s were made for the first time since June 2014.
Compared to a year earlier, the number of notes jumped 9.6% from 576,000,000 and their combined value surged 127.1% from $8,512,000,000.
Below are images of the BEP’s latest monthly production report. They show the type of banknotes manufactured in August at each of the agency’s printing facility:
August 2015 BEP Banknote Production
Facility at Washington, DC
Facility at Fort Worth, TX
In August, the BEP produced 640,000 in $100 star notes. These are indicated by the "*" designator in the money production chart directly above. Star notes are replacements for misprinted notes or certain serial numbers, like 000 000 000. Money collectors find them more desirable since they are rarer and more difficult to find.
The following table lists the type, the amount and the total value of banknotes printed by the BEP for the month:
Banknotes by Denomination: Total Printed and Values
August 2015
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 294,400,000 | 294,400,000 |
| $2.00 | – | – |
| $5.00 | 57,600,000 | 288,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 44,800,000 | 448,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 64,000,000 | 1,280,000,000 |
| $50.00 | – | – |
| $100.00 | 170,240,000 | 17,024,000,000 |
| Totals | 631,040,000 | 19,334,400,000 |
As a perspective, the BEP in FY 2014 printed about 24.8 million banknotes a day with a face value of approximately $560 million. That pace accounts for about 8.9 tons of ink each day. The agency delivered approximately 6.2 billion notes at an average cost of 10 cents per banknote. The BEP indicates that more than 90% of paper notes printed each year are for replacing those already in, or taken out of circulation.
For comparison, four previous monthly money production tables follow.
July 2015
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 166,400,000 | 166,400,000 |
| $2.00 | – | – |
| $5.00 | 64,000,000 | 320,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 51,200,000 | 512,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 121,600,000 | 2,432,000,000 |
| $50.00 | – | – |
| $100.00 | 163,456,000 | 16,345,600,000 |
| Totals | 566,656,000 | 19,776,000,000 |
June 2015
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 160,250,000 | 160,250,000 |
| $2.00 | – | – |
| $5.00 | 64,000,000 | 320,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 51,200,000 | 512,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 128,000,000 | 2,560,000,000 |
| $50.00 | – | – |
| $100.00 | 172,800,000 | 17,280,000,000 |
| Totals | 576,250,000 | 20,832,250,000 |
May 2015
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 118,400,000 | 118,400,000 |
| $2.00 | – | – |
| $5.00 | 57,600,000 | 288,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 51,200,000 | 512,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 150,720,000 | 3,014,400,000 |
| $50.00 | – | – |
| $100.00 | 160,128,000 | 16,012,800,000 |
| Totals | 538,048,000 | 19,945,600,000 |
April 2015
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 185,600,000 | 185,600,000 |
| $2.00 | – | – |
| $5.00 | 64,000,000 | 320,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 57,600,000 | 576,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 179,200,000 | 3,584,000,000 |
| $50.00 | – | – |
| $100.00 | 108,928,000 | 10,892,800,000 |
| Totals | 595,328,000 | 15,558,400,000 |
