What is a Pick number on a banknote?
A Pick number (often written P- or Pick P- followed by digits) is the usual catalogue ID for a world banknote type. It comes from Albert Pick’s Standard Catalog of World Paper Money. It is not the serial number printed on the note, and it is not printed as “Pick” by the issuing bank.
Why collectors use it
Country plus denomination is not unique. The same face value can exist across many series, signatures, and colour varieties. A Pick number points at a specific catalogue type so dealers, auction listings, and collection software can talk about the same issue.
How to find a Pick number
- Identify country, denomination, and roughly the era (series year or portrait).
- Match the design in a world-paper-money catalogue or a trusted listing that cites Pick.
- Watch for suffixes and varieties — some types split into lettered variants.
- If you cannot name the country, photograph the full face and crop tightly first. See how to identify a banknote.
Useful tips
- Serial numbers are unique to the piece; Pick numbers are shared by the type.
- Replacement notes, overprints, and specimen issues may have their own catalogue lines.
- US large-size and some national issues are often discussed with other numbering systems in specialist literature. Pick is the common world-note shorthand.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Pick with the serial or plate number on the paper.
- Assuming every identifier always returns a Pick code. Low-confidence photos should stay silent rather than guess.
- Using Pick as a price. Catalogue numbers name the type; value still depends on grade and demand. See how to estimate banknote value.
How Banknote & Coin ID helps
When the design can be read with confidence, the identifier returns a Pick reference with country, denomination, and series. If it is unsure, you get a confidence score instead of a fake catalogue number. Coins use KM numbers, not Pick.
Look up a note from a photo
Download Banknote & Coin ID and scan for a Pick reference when the match is confident.
Related guides
FAQ
Is a Pick number printed on the banknote?
Usually no. It is a catalogue assignment, not a field the printer adds for collectors.
Is Pick the same as a KM number?
No. Pick is paper money. KM is world coins.