American money production slowed in May for the first time in five months, data from the agency that prints U.S. currency shows.
More than 605.4 million in banknotes were produced last month for a value topping $12.7 billion, according to Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) figures published on Tuesday, June 7. In contrast, April levels logged in at 624 million notes worth over $15.7 billion.
In percentage comparisons from the previous month, the BEP made 3% fewer banknotes and their combined value was 19.3% lower. In other monthly differences, there were:
- 8.5% more $1s;
- 33.3% fewer $20s;
- 200% more $50s; and
- 20.6% fewer $100s.
The number of $5s and $10s matched in both months. Presses printed $2s for the first time in four months.
Compared to the same month a year earlier, the number of notes climbed 12.5% from 538,048,000 but their combined value dropped 36.3% from $19,945,600,000 due to fewer $20s and $100s.
Below are images of the BEP’s latest monthly production report. They show the type of banknotes manufactured at the agency’s two printing facilities.
May 2016 BEP Banknote Production
Facility at Washington, DC
Facility at Fort Worth, TX
The BEP printed 640,000 in $100 star notes. Star notes are replacements for misprinted or damaged notes and for certain serial numbers like 000 000 000. They have serial numbers that end with a star “*” designation, and are also so indicated by quantities in the images above. Money collectors usually find star notes more desirable since they can be harder to find.
The following table lists the type, the amount and the total value of banknotes printed by the BEP for the month:
Banknotes by Denomination: Total Printed and Values
May 2016
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 204,800,000 | 204,800,000 |
| $2.00 | 44,800,000 | 89,600,000 |
| $5.00 | 70,400,000 | 352,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 64,000,000 | 640,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 128,000,000 | 2,560,000,000 |
| $50.00 | 9,600,000 | 480,000,000 |
| $100.00 | 83,840,000 | 8,384,000,000 |
| Totals | 605,440,000 | 12,710,400,000 |
For comparison, four previous monthly money production tables follow.
April 2016
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 188,800,000 | 188,800,000 |
| $2.00 | – | – |
| $5.00 | 70,400,000 | 352,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 64,000,000 | 640,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 192,000,000 | 3,840,000,000 |
| $50.00 | 3,200,000 | 160,000,000 |
| $100.00 | 105,600,000 | 10,560,000,000 |
| Totals | 624,000,000 | 15,740,800,000 |
March 2016
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 188,800,000 | 188,800,000 |
| $2.00 | – | – |
| $5.00 | 76,800,000 | 384,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 12,800,000 | 128,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 173,120,000 | 3,462,400,000 |
| $50.00 | – | – |
| $100.00 | 108,800,000 | 10,880,000,000 |
| Totals | 560,320,000 | 15,043,200,000 |
February 2016
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 147,200,000 | 147,200,000 |
| $2.00 | – | – |
| $5.00 | 64,000,000 | 320,000,000 |
| $10.00 | 38,400,000 | 384,000,000 |
| $20.00 | 153,600,000 | 3,072,000,000 |
| $50.00 | 35,200,000 | 1,760,000,000 |
| $100.00 | 83,200,000 | 8,320,000,000 |
| Totals | 521,600,000 | 14,003,200,000 |
January 2016
| Banknotes | Total Printed | Total Value ($) |
| $1.00 | 147,200,000 | 147,200,000 |
| $2.00 | 32,000,000 | 64,000,000 |
| $5.00 | 57,600,000 | 288,000,000 |
| $10.00 | – | – |
| $20.00 | 182,400,000 | 3,648,000,000 |
| $50.00 | 41,600,000 | 2,080,000,000 |
| $100.00 | 57,600,000 | 5,760,000,000 |
| Totals | 518,400,000 | 11,987,200,000 |
As a perspective, the BEP in FY 2015 delivered about 7 billion notes at an average cost of 10 cents each, and needed about 8.7 tons of ink each day to print them. More than 90% of the banknotes printed are for replacing those already in, or taken out of circulation.
As an aside and according to data from the Federal Reserve, there was approximately $1.45 trillion in circulation as of April 6, 2016, of which $1.4 trillion was in Federal Reserve notes.
The BEP operates on a fiscal year that begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. For FY 2016, the Fed ordered 7.6 billion banknotes.
