How it works
A real serial-number scavenger hunt using U.S. currency in everyday circulation. Here is everything you need to know.
The process, step by step
Step 1
Browse active hunts
The Hunts page lists every active denomination and serial number target. Each hunt shows the target serial, denomination, series year, Federal Reserve district, and current bounty amount. No account needed to browse.
Step 2
Check bills you handle
Look at the denomination and serial number on any U.S. bill you physically receive — at a store, from an ATM, in your wallet. Compare the full serial number against active targets. A bill can travel thousands of miles over its lifetime, which means a target could surface anywhere.
Step 3
Submit a sighting or a claim
If you saw the bill but do not have it, submit a sighting to document its location. Sightings are public after admin review and help build each bill's history. If you physically possess the bill right now, submit a claim.
Step 4
Receive a verification code
When you submit a claim, you receive a one-time verification code. This code must appear alongside the bill in your evidence photos. The code expires, so photograph promptly. This is the most critical step.
Step 5
Submit evidence
Required evidence includes a full photo of the bill's front, a full photo of the back, a close-up of the serial number, and at least one photo showing the verification code next to the bill. A short video showing the bill turning over may be requested.
Step 6
Admin review
Our admin team reviews every claim. We verify the bill images are consistent, the serial matches, the verification code is visible, and the note appears genuine. We may request additional evidence if something is unclear. This process protects everyone, including the finder.
Step 7
Bounty payout
Approved claims move to manual payout review. The full bounty amount — including any contributions made to the hunt — is paid to the verified finder. Payout timelines depend on the method arranged during claim review.
Trust and transparency
Contributions do not affect eligibility
Contributing to a bounty does not improve your odds, grant special access, or create any entry. The finder reward goes to the first person who proves they physically possess the matching bill. A $0 contributor and a $1,000 contributor have identical eligibility.
No purchase is ever necessary
Bill Bounty is not a lottery and not a sweepstakes. There is no cost to participate. You cannot buy an entry. Any bill you already carry is potentially a target — the only requirement is finding and possessing the right one.
Claims are reviewed before payout
Every claim goes through a manual review process. We do not pay automatically. This review prevents fraud and protects legitimate finders from having their claims contested. Reviews typically resolve within a few business days.
Verification codes prevent photo fraud
The one-time verification code system prevents someone from submitting old photos or photos of a different bill. The code is unique to your claim and must appear in the image alongside the bill. It cannot be reused.
What happens after a bill is found?
Once a bounty bill is verified and the hunt is closed, the bill enters the tracking system. A permanent public record is created with the serial number, denomination, series year, Federal Reserve district, original bounty, and date found.
If the verified finder has a public profile, their display name appears on the tracking page. Finders can also add a public story describing how they found the bill.
After verification, anyone who later encounters the same bill in circulation can submit a post-verification sighting. These sightings — once admin-approved — are added to the bill's public history, showing where it has traveled over time. Sightings do not create a new bounty or entitle anyone to a reward.
Tracked bills can be found on the Track page. You can search by serial number to see if a bill in your hand has a prior history.
Beyond official hunts
Community Hunts
Any registered user can publish a Community Hunt for a bill they own or want tracked. Set your own optional reward, describe the note, and share the serial number publicly.
Community hunts are entirely separate from official Bill Bounty hunts. Rewards offered are personal arrangements between users — Bill Bounty does not guarantee, verify, or administer community rewards.
Browse community huntsNote Registry
Found a radar serial, a star note, or a low-number bill? Register it in the public Note Registry — no hunt required. Any interesting note can be documented with denomination, serial, series year, and photos.
Once registered, anyone who later encounters the same bill can log a sighting, building a travel history over time. The registry is a community record of notable currency in circulation.
View the registry