Strange money may help pay for the education of a Bank of Bermuda customer's children.

At least that is what Shirley Lema, who received a rare-looking $50 bill from the Bank of Bermuda ATM on Church Street, is hoping.

Ms Lema yesterday told The Royal Gazette she was surprised when she visited the ATM last Wednesday to obtain $80 before the Cup Match holiday.

She said she received three $10 bills, which were normal and a $50 dollar bill with a faceless Queen on it.

The bill is normal on the back, but the front is missing the Queen's face, Bermuda Monetary Authority signatures, the number "50'', the writing across the top and the bottom, as well as some of the bill's colours.

"I'm not taking the bill back because I think it will be a very valuable collector's item one day,'' Ms Lema said.

But when contacted yesterday, Lori Packwood of the BMA said she had no idea how much the bill would be worth.

"We have not seen the note yet,'' she said. "But at this stage the bill does not seem to be counterfeit, just a note that managed to slip through quality control at the printers.'' Ms Packwood also noted there was a report of another $50 bill that The Bank of Bermuda turned in which had the same irregularities.

However, she said the mistake was very uncommon and anyone who found such notes could turn them in for regular notes.

"I would say that the bill would be of some interest to collectors,'' Ms Packwood added.

Ms Lema said she was planning to take the bill to a coin collector to have it appraised.