The Embassy of the United States in Kinshasa is aware of reports that some economic operators and entities in the DRC are refusing to accept certain U.S. dollar bank notes. These include, specifically, $100 denominated bank notes which include a “star” at the end of the serial number.
The U.S. government continues to enhance the security of its currency, including periodically introducing redesigned bank notes. Each note has a unique serial number. The first letter of the serial number corresponds to the series year. Some serial numbers include a “star” after them.
All U.S. currency remains legal tender, regardless of when it was issued.
The United States Embassy encourages individuals to educate themselves about U.S bank notes. The U.S. Currency Education Program, managed by the Federal Reserve Board (Board), provides a range of free educational and training resources. French language resources can be obtained at the CEP’s website at: https://www.uscurrency.gov/educational-materials
