A method for the processing of bank notes wherein serial numbers of the bank notes to be processed are ascertained and compared with stored serial numbers in order to control the processing of the bank notes, having a specification of several classes which respectively characterize at least one property of bank notes, an association of at least one of the classes with one or several serial numbers in order to associate at least one property with the bank note provided with the respective serial number, a storage of the respective serial number as well as of the associated class or classes, and a control of the processing of the bank notes by means of the stored classes associated with the respective serial numbers.