MUNSTER | An American Savings Bank patron deposited two crisp $1,000 bills into her bank account Wednesday, a transaction that paid off handsomely.

The Times chose not to identify the person for security purposes.

About 9:30 a.m., the woman stepped to the teller window at American Savings Bank to make a $2,000 deposit with the two bills, bank employee Mary Ann Vlasich said.

"I thought, 'She's going to need more because there is not nearly enough here for $2,000,'" said Vlasich, who believed the bills were hundreds.

Looking closer, Vlasich exclaimed, "Oh, my goodness! They are thousands, and I haven't seen one of these."

Neither had other bank employees, including Michael Mellon, president and chief executive officer, and Steve Bohn, chief financial officer.

"I've been in banking in some capacity since I was 16 years old, and I've never seen a $1,000 bill in hand," Mellon said. "I've seen $500s, but thousands, especially in this good of a condition, are just really rare. Everyone wanted to take a look at them."

Mellon, who is also a Town Council member, said Bohn researched the bills on the Internet and estimated they were running for about $1,500 each.

The men then took the bills to local businesses, who agreed on their rarity.

"There is a premium on these $1,000 bills," said John Hodson of Hodson Coins/Jewelry in Munster.

Hodson said the bills would bring a low end of $3,500 and a high end of $4,500.

Though the bills were assets of American Savings Bank, the bank returned the money to the customer for ethical reasons.

"We explained it would be to the best interest of everybody if the customer picked up the bills and sold them to get a higher return," Mellon said. "We are a community bank that really looks out for our customers."

The customer told Mellon the bills came from a relative a long time ago and she had no idea what possessed her to bring them into the bank Wednesday.

The circa-1934 series of Federal Reserve Notes sport the face of President Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th commander in chief.

The notes also have the signature, "In God We Trust."