Actually, each serial number on a bill is worth exactly one-half the face value of the bill; the rest of the bill means nothing.

The US Treasury Department has an entire division dedicated to "damaged bill recovery", where specialists deal with torn, burned, rotted and other assorted damaged paper currency. If they can recover one complete serial number they will reimburse the currency owner one-half face value. Two identical serial numbers will get you full face value.

Three identical serial numbers will get you twenty years.

Regards,
Thomas Wayne

Actually, it is "suspect" currency -- the serial numbers won't match! After making up some mismade $10s, I "spent" the corners. Nobody noticed.

The US Treasury division that matches up the currency accepts 51% or more of a bill as a whole bill for payment purposes. They will not accept less than 1/2 a bill for collection.

Borrow the paper money. Make it disappear. Stall, do another trick... then bring out a blank check, fold it up and give it to spectator, when he/she opens it up it is the original borrowed bill.