Money production ramped up in October from a month earlier but slowed from a year ago, data from the agency responsible for producing U.S. currency shows. The combined value of the notes jumped sharply against both periods.
784.6 million in $1s, $2s, $5s, $10s, $20s and $100s crossed printing presses last month for a combined value of more than $26.2 billion, according to Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) production figures published on Wednesday, Nov. 25. These levels compare to September tallies of 678.4 million notes worth over $18.8 billion.
In month-over-month percentage comparisons, October saw 15.7% more banknotes and their combined value advanced 39.6%. In other monthly differences, there were:
- 40.2% fewer $1s;
- 200% more $2s;
- 38.1% more $5s;
- 114.3% more $10s;
- 205.5% more $20s; and
- 44.4% more $100s.
No $50s were printed last month. The BEP produced $2s for a second straight month following a seven-month dry spell.
Compared to a year earlier, the number of notes dropped 25.5% from 1,053,056,000 but their combined value surged 52% from $17,280,000,000.
Below are images of the BEP’s latest monthly production report. They show the type of banknotes manufactured in October at the agency’s two printing facilities.
October 2015 BEP Banknote Production
Facility at Washington, DC
Facility at Fort Worth, TX
The BEP printed millions of star notes across $1s, $5s and $20s. Star notes are replacements for misprinted/damaged notes and for certain serial numbers like 000 000 000. Star notes have serial numbers that end with a star "*" designation, and are also so indicated by quantities in the images above. Money collectors usually find them more desirable since they can be harder to find.
The following table lists the type, the amount and the total value of banknotes printed by the BEP for the month:
Banknotes by Denomination: Total Printed and Values
October 2015
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 195,200,000 | 195,200,000 |
| $2.00 | 19,200,000 | 38,400,000 |
| $5.00 | 70,720,000 | 353,600,000 |
| $10.00 | 96,000,000 | 960,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 195,520,000 | 3,910,400,000 |
| $50.00 | – | – |
| $100.00 | 208,000,000 | 20,800,000,000 |
| Totals | 784,640,000 | 26,257,600,000 |
As a perspective, the BEP in FY 2014 printed about 24.8 million banknotes a day with a face value of approximately $560 million. That pace accounts for about 8.9 tons of ink each day. The agency delivered approximately 6.2 billion notes at an average cost of 10 cents per banknote. The BEP indicates that more than 90% of paper notes printed each year are for replacing those already in, or taken out of circulation.
For comparison, four previous monthly money production tables follow.
September 2015
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 326,400,000 | 326,400,000 |
| $2.00 | 6,400,000 | 12,800,000 |
| $5.00 | 51,200,000 | 256,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 44,800,000 | 448,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 64,000,000 | 1,280,000,000 |
| $50.00 | 41,600,000 | 2,080,000,000 |
| $100.00 | 144,000,000 | 14,400,000,000 |
| Totals | 678,400,000 | 18,803,200,000 |
August 2015
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $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 | – | – |
| $100.00 | 170,240,000 | 17,024,000,000 |
| Totals | 631,040,000 | 19,334,400,000 |
July 2015
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $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 |
For 2016, the Fed has ordered 7.6 billion banknotes.
Excellent report! Do u also have an official report showing exactly how much currency was removed from circulation?
Removed, they removed only the $ given to Syrian refugees….no the M1 is out of cotrol, eventually the $$ will hit a wall, as a fiat $$ good faith only goes so far….