Short answer: money bands, also called currency straps or currency bands, are paper bands that hold a strap of 100 bills of one denomination, color coded so the value shows at a glance. A full strap of $1 bills is $100 and takes a blue band; 100 $20 bills make a $2,000 strap with a violet band. Carousel Checks sells color-coded bands from $25 to $10,000 at $8.99 per 500 or $11.99 per 1,000, and a complete set of all 10 denominations (1,000 bands) for $14.99. Prices checked October 20, 2026.
Get all 10 band colors (1,000 bands) for $14.99 →
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What a money band is
Banks count and move cash in straps. The Federal Reserve’s cash deposit reference guide defines a strap as a package of 100 notes of the same denomination with one band around it, and a bundle as 10 straps (1,000 notes). The band is the strip of paper that holds the strap together and shows its dollar amount.
Businesses use the same bands to count the till, prepare a bank deposit or store cash in a safe: a banded strap with its amount written on the band shows the count without recounting every bill.
Money band colors by denomination
The Federal Reserve’s currency depositing standards list the American Bankers Association (ABA) color for each bill. A full strap is always 100 bills, so its value is 100 times the bill:
| Bills in the strap | Full strap value | ABA color | Carousel band to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 x $1 | $100 | Blue | Blue barred $100 |
| 100 x $2 | $200 | Green | Green barred $200 |
| 100 x $5 | $500 | Red | Red barred $500 |
| 100 x $10 | $1,000 | Yellow | Yellow barred $1,000 |
| 100 x $20 | $2,000 | Violet | Purple barred $2,000 |
| 100 x $50 | $5,000 | Brown | Brown barred $5,000 |
| 100 x $100 | $10,000 | Mustard | Gold barred $10,000 |
Carousel adds three more denominations for smaller stacks: black $25, orange $50 and dark green $250, plus a white no-denomination band you write the amount on. That makes 10 color-coded denominations from $25 to $10,000.
Currency band prices
Carousel Checks prices, checked October 20, 2026:
| Bands | What they are | 500 bands | 1,000 bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barred currency bands ($25 to $10,000, one denomination) | White kraft paper with a color bar | $8.99 | $11.99 |
| Natural saw-tooth bands | Brown kraft paper with a colored saw-tooth pattern | $8.99 | $11.99 |
| White no-denomination bands | Blank; write the amount | $8.99 | $11.99 |
| Kraft brown no-denomination bands | Blank brown kraft | $8.99 | $11.99 |
Every one of these bands is 7 1/2 inches long and 1 1/4 inches wide, with 1 1/2 inches of adhesive on each end. The adhesive lets the band close around a full strap or a smaller stack, and it allows multiple closures while keeping a secure bond. The barred bands are recyclable 50 pound bleached kraft paper in common bank standard colors.
At 1,000 bands for $11.99, each band costs about 1.2 cents, against 1.8 cents in a 500 pack.
Order 500 blue $100 bands for $8.99 →
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Band sets
If you handle every bill size, a set is cheaper than buying single colors:
- Low Dollar Currency Band Set ($12.99): 1,000 bands, 200 of each denomination from $25 to $250. For tills that hold mostly small bills.
- High Dollar Currency Band Set ($12.99): 1,200 bands, 200 of each denomination from $250 to $10,000. For safes and larger deposits.
- Complete Currency Band Set ($14.99): all 10 colors, 100 of each from $25 to $10,000.
- Natural saw-tooth low dollar set ($12.99): the same 1,000 band mix in brown kraft.
Saw-tooth, blank and bill bands
- Natural saw-tooth bands: 100% recyclable natural brown kraft with a colored saw-tooth pattern in bank standard colors. Same size and price as the barred bands.
- No-denomination bands: white or kraft brown bands left blank, so you write the denomination or amount. Useful for mixed stacks.
- Small and large bill bands: small and large bill bands hold small stacks of bills as an inexpensive substitute for rubber bands: $5.99 for 250 or $9.99 for 1,000. They come sealed and are not resealable, so they suit internal use rather than bank deposits.
Bank Checks Plus lists barred, natural saw-tooth and bill bands in its currency bands section too.
How to band a strap of bills
- Sort the bills by denomination; a strap holds only one kind of bill.
- Count 100 bills and straighten them so the corners and edges line up. Facing does not matter for the Federal Reserve.
- Remove paper clips, staples and rubber bands.
- Wrap one band around the middle of the stack and seal it with the adhesive at both ends, with no loose tail.
- Write the date and your initials on the band so anyone can see who counted it.
- For a partial stack, use a $25, $50 or $250 band or a blank band with the amount written on it.
Check bills before you band them. On a forged note, the mark of a D-TEK counterfeit detector pen goes dark and stays dark; Carousel Checks sells 12 for $16.86 (checked October 20, 2026).
Bank standards for currency straps
The Federal Reserve’s deposit rules for banks describe what a bank-standard band looks like:
- Bands are white paper, color coded along the edges to ABA standards.
- Band material is 1.00 to 1.57 inches wide and made of paper, not synthetic materials. Carousel bands are 1 1/4 inches wide.
- Each strap has only one band, applied to the middle.
- The band shows the dollar amount in the strap, the date of verification and the initials or names of the people who verified it.
Your bank sets its own rules for business deposits, so ask whether it wants straps banded when you bring cash. For the deposit itself, see our deposit slips guide; for coin, see our coin wrappers guide.
Taking banded cash to the bank? Endorse the checks with a For Deposit Only stamp ($12.00 at Carousel) and seal straps, checks and the deposit slip in a tamper-evident bank deposit bag (100 SafeLok bags for $29.99 at Carousel, checked October 20, 2026).
How to order and delivery
- Decide which denominations you handle, or choose a set.
- Pick barred, saw-tooth or blank bands, and 500 or 1,000.
- Add coin wrappers if you deposit coin too.
- Choose delivery and pay.
Delivery: Carousel Checks lists Next Day Air (1 to 2 business days), 2nd Day Air (2 to 3), Ground (2 to 5), Trackable (3 to 7), USPS Priority (7 to 10) and Bulk (9 to 18 business days), plus processing time.
Business checks too? See our business checks guide. For personal accounts, Checks Unlimited sells Blue Classic checks at $23.49 for 80 and Carousel sells Blue Safety checks at $20.00 a box.
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Money bands: frequently asked questions
How many bills are in a money band?
A full strap is 100 bills of one denomination with one band around it, the Federal Reserve standard. Ten straps make a bundle of 1,000 bills.
What color money band is used for $100 bills?
Mustard, under the ABA standard the Federal Reserve lists. A full strap of 100 $100 bills is $10,000; Carousel sells it as the gold barred $10,000 band.
How much is a band of $20 bills?
A full strap of 100 $20 bills is $2,000, and the ABA color is violet. Carousel sells it as the purple barred $2,000 band, $8.99 for 500.
Where can I buy money bands?
Online from check printers: Carousel Checks sells color-coded currency bands at $8.99 per 500 or $11.99 per 1,000, and all 10 colors in one set for $14.99. Bank Checks Plus also sells currency bands.
Can money bands be reused?
Carousel barred and saw-tooth bands have adhesive on both ends that allows multiple closures. Its small and large bill bands come sealed and are not resealable.
What size is a currency strap band?
Carousel bands are 7 1/2 inches long and 1 1/4 inches wide with 1 1/2 inches of adhesive on each end. Federal Reserve rules call for paper bands 1.00 to 1.57 inches wide.
Related guides
- Coin wrappers
- Deposit slips
- Business checks
- Check registers
- Check accessories
- How to reorder checks online
- Cheapest checks 2026
- Check companies compared
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