diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index 93caf9f369..7f04658aea 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -531,10 +531,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBody(hash common.Hash) *types.Body {
 		return body
 	}
 	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	body := rawdb.ReadBody(bc.db, hash, *number)
+	body := rawdb.ReadBody(bc.db, hash, number)
 	if body == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -551,10 +551,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBodyRLP(hash common.Hash) rlp.RawValue {
 		return cached.(rlp.RawValue)
 	}
 	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	body := rawdb.ReadBodyRLP(bc.db, hash, *number)
+	body := rawdb.ReadBodyRLP(bc.db, hash, number)
 	if len(body) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -618,10 +618,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlock(hash common.Hash, number uint64) *types.Block {
 // GetBlockByHash retrieves a block from the database by hash, caching it if found.
 func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlockByHash(hash common.Hash) *types.Block {
 	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return bc.GetBlock(hash, *number)
+	return bc.GetBlock(hash, number)
 }
 
 // GetBlockByNumber retrieves a block from the database by number, caching it
@@ -640,10 +640,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetReceiptsByHash(hash common.Hash) types.Receipts {
 		return receipts.(types.Receipts)
 	}
 	number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(bc.db, hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	receipts := rawdb.ReadReceipts(bc.db, hash, *number)
+	receipts := rawdb.ReadReceipts(bc.db, hash, number)
 	if receipts == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -655,17 +655,17 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetReceiptsByHash(hash common.Hash) types.Receipts {
 // [deprecated by eth/62]
 func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlocksFromHash(hash common.Hash, n int) (blocks []*types.Block) {
 	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
 	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-		block := bc.GetBlock(hash, *number)
+		block := bc.GetBlock(hash, number)
 		if block == nil {
 			break
 		}
 		blocks = append(blocks, block)
 		hash = block.ParentHash()
-		*number--
+		number--
 	}
 	return
 }
@@ -1408,10 +1408,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) reorg(oldBlock, newBlock *types.Block) error {
 		collectLogs = func(hash common.Hash) {
 			// Coalesce logs and set 'Removed'.
 			number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-			if number == nil {
+			if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 				return
 			}
-			receipts := rawdb.ReadReceipts(bc.db, hash, *number)
+			receipts := rawdb.ReadReceipts(bc.db, hash, number)
 			for _, receipt := range receipts {
 				for _, log := range receipt.Logs {
 					del := *log
diff --git a/core/genesis.go b/core/genesis.go
index cbb6eecd28..1f20861998 100644
--- a/core/genesis.go
+++ b/core/genesis.go
@@ -200,11 +200,11 @@ func SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db ethdb.Database, genesis *Genesis, constant
 	// Check config compatibility and write the config. Compatibility errors
 	// are returned to the caller unless we're already at block zero.
 	height := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(db, rawdb.ReadHeadHeaderHash(db))
-	if height == nil {
+	if height == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return newcfg, stored, fmt.Errorf("missing block number for head header hash")
 	}
-	compatErr := storedcfg.CheckCompatible(newcfg, *height)
-	if compatErr != nil && *height != 0 && compatErr.RewindTo != 0 {
+	compatErr := storedcfg.CheckCompatible(newcfg, height)
+	if compatErr != nil && height != 0 && compatErr.RewindTo != 0 {
 		return newcfg, stored, compatErr
 	}
 	rawdb.WriteChainConfig(db, stored, newcfg)
diff --git a/core/headerchain.go b/core/headerchain.go
index 8904dd887b..590b88a55a 100644
--- a/core/headerchain.go
+++ b/core/headerchain.go
@@ -110,14 +110,14 @@ func NewHeaderChain(chainDb ethdb.Database, config *params.ChainConfig, engine c
 
 // GetBlockNumber retrieves the block number belonging to the given hash
 // from the cache or database
-func (hc *HeaderChain) GetBlockNumber(hash common.Hash) *uint64 {
+func (hc *HeaderChain) GetBlockNumber(hash common.Hash) uint64 {
 	if cached, ok := hc.numberCache.Get(hash); ok {
 		number := cached.(uint64)
-		return &number
+		return number
 	}
 	number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(hc.chainDb, hash)
-	if number != nil {
-		hc.numberCache.Add(hash, *number)
+	if number != rawdb.UnknownNumber {
+		hc.numberCache.Add(hash, number)
 	}
 	return number
 }
@@ -381,10 +381,10 @@ func (hc *HeaderChain) GetTd(hash common.Hash, number uint64) *big.Int {
 // database by hash, caching it if found.
 func (hc *HeaderChain) GetTdByHash(hash common.Hash) *big.Int {
 	number := hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return hc.GetTd(hash, *number)
+	return hc.GetTd(hash, number)
 }
 
 // WriteTd stores a block's total difficulty into the database, also caching it
@@ -415,10 +415,10 @@ func (hc *HeaderChain) GetHeader(hash common.Hash, number uint64) *types.Header
 // found.
 func (hc *HeaderChain) GetHeaderByHash(hash common.Hash) *types.Header {
 	number := hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return hc.GetHeader(hash, *number)
+	return hc.GetHeader(hash, number)
 }
 
 // HasHeader checks if a block header is present in the database or not.
diff --git a/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go b/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
index 491a125c65..5a32bdc9bd 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rlp"
 )
 
+// The block number is unknown.
+const UnknownNumber = ^uint64(0)
+
 // ReadCanonicalHash retrieves the hash assigned to a canonical block number.
 func ReadCanonicalHash(db DatabaseReader, number uint64) common.Hash {
 	data, _ := db.Get(headerHashKey(number))
@@ -51,13 +54,13 @@ func DeleteCanonicalHash(db DatabaseDeleter, number uint64) {
 }
 
 // ReadHeaderNumber returns the header number assigned to a hash.
-func ReadHeaderNumber(db DatabaseReader, hash common.Hash) *uint64 {
+func ReadHeaderNumber(db DatabaseReader, hash common.Hash) uint64 {
 	data, _ := db.Get(headerNumberKey(hash))
 	if len(data) != 8 {
-		return nil
+		return UnknownNumber
 	}
 	number := binary.BigEndian.Uint64(data)
-	return &number
+	return number
 }
 
 // ReadHeadHeaderHash retrieves the hash of the current canonical head header.
diff --git a/eth/downloader/fakepeer.go b/eth/downloader/fakepeer.go
index 59832facaa..35084f70aa 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/fakepeer.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/fakepeer.go
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func (p *FakePeer) RequestBodies(hashes []common.Hash) error {
 		uncles [][]*types.Header
 	)
 	for _, hash := range hashes {
-		block := rawdb.ReadBlock(p.db, hash, *p.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash))
+		block := rawdb.ReadBlock(p.db, hash, p.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash))
 
 		txs = append(txs, block.Transactions())
 		uncles = append(uncles, block.Uncles())
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func (p *FakePeer) RequestBodies(hashes []common.Hash) error {
 func (p *FakePeer) RequestReceipts(hashes []common.Hash) error {
 	var receipts [][]*types.Receipt
 	for _, hash := range hashes {
-		receipts = append(receipts, rawdb.ReadReceipts(p.db, hash, *p.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)))
+		receipts = append(receipts, rawdb.ReadReceipts(p.db, hash, p.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)))
 	}
 	p.dl.DeliverReceipts(p.id, receipts)
 	return nil
diff --git a/les/api_backend.go b/les/api_backend.go
index 7531396235..c05c713b83 100644
--- a/les/api_backend.go
+++ b/les/api_backend.go
@@ -88,15 +88,15 @@ func (b *LesApiBackend) GetBlock(ctx context.Context, blockHash common.Hash) (*t
 }
 
 func (b *LesApiBackend) GetReceipts(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (types.Receipts, error) {
-	if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.eth.chainDb, hash); number != nil {
-		return light.GetBlockReceipts(ctx, b.eth.odr, hash, *number)
+	if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.eth.chainDb, hash); number != rawdb.UnknownNumber {
+		return light.GetBlockReceipts(ctx, b.eth.odr, hash, number)
 	}
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
 func (b *LesApiBackend) GetLogs(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) ([][]*types.Log, error) {
-	if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.eth.chainDb, hash); number != nil {
-		return light.GetBlockLogs(ctx, b.eth.odr, hash, *number)
+	if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.eth.chainDb, hash); number != rawdb.UnknownNumber {
+		return light.GetBlockLogs(ctx, b.eth.odr, hash, number)
 	}
 	return nil, nil
 }
diff --git a/les/handler.go b/les/handler.go
index 46a1ed2d7b..9d76110a10 100644
--- a/les/handler.go
+++ b/les/handler.go
@@ -568,8 +568,8 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) handleMsg(p *peer) error {
 				break
 			}
 			// Retrieve the requested block body, stopping if enough was found
-			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, hash); number != nil {
-				if data := rawdb.ReadBodyRLP(pm.chainDb, hash, *number); len(data) != 0 {
+			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, hash); number != rawdb.UnknownNumber {
+				if data := rawdb.ReadBodyRLP(pm.chainDb, hash, number); len(data) != 0 {
 					bodies = append(bodies, data)
 					bytes += len(data)
 				}
@@ -621,8 +621,8 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) handleMsg(p *peer) error {
 		}
 		for _, req := range req.Reqs {
 			// Retrieve the requested state entry, stopping if enough was found
-			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, req.BHash); number != nil {
-				if header := rawdb.ReadHeader(pm.chainDb, req.BHash, *number); header != nil {
+			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, req.BHash); number != rawdb.UnknownNumber {
+				if header := rawdb.ReadHeader(pm.chainDb, req.BHash, number); header != nil {
 					statedb, err := pm.blockchain.State()
 					if err != nil {
 						continue
@@ -690,8 +690,8 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) handleMsg(p *peer) error {
 			}
 			// Retrieve the requested block's receipts, skipping if unknown to us
 			var results types.Receipts
-			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, hash); number != nil {
-				results = rawdb.ReadReceipts(pm.chainDb, hash, *number)
+			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, hash); number != rawdb.UnknownNumber {
+				results = rawdb.ReadReceipts(pm.chainDb, hash, number)
 			}
 			if results == nil {
 				if header := pm.blockchain.GetHeaderByHash(hash); header == nil || header.ReceiptHash != types.EmptyRootHash {
@@ -752,8 +752,8 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) handleMsg(p *peer) error {
 		}
 		for _, req := range req.Reqs {
 			// Retrieve the requested state entry, stopping if enough was found
-			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, req.BHash); number != nil {
-				if header := rawdb.ReadHeader(pm.chainDb, req.BHash, *number); header != nil {
+			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, req.BHash); number != rawdb.UnknownNumber {
+				if header := rawdb.ReadHeader(pm.chainDb, req.BHash, number); header != nil {
 					statedb, err := pm.blockchain.State()
 					if err != nil {
 						continue
@@ -812,8 +812,8 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) handleMsg(p *peer) error {
 			if statedb == nil || req.BHash != lastBHash {
 				statedb, root, lastBHash = nil, common.Hash{}, req.BHash
 
-				if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, req.BHash); number != nil {
-					if header := rawdb.ReadHeader(pm.chainDb, req.BHash, *number); header != nil {
+				if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(pm.chainDb, req.BHash); number != rawdb.UnknownNumber {
+					if header := rawdb.ReadHeader(pm.chainDb, req.BHash, number); header != nil {
 						statedb, _ = pm.blockchain.State()
 						root = header.Root
 					}
diff --git a/light/lightchain.go b/light/lightchain.go
index 3691f1304f..c3c4b65ddb 100644
--- a/light/lightchain.go
+++ b/light/lightchain.go
@@ -223,10 +223,10 @@ func (self *LightChain) GetBody(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (*types.B
 		return body, nil
 	}
 	number := self.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil, errors.New("unknown block")
 	}
-	body, err := GetBody(ctx, self.odr, hash, *number)
+	body, err := GetBody(ctx, self.odr, hash, number)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -243,10 +243,10 @@ func (self *LightChain) GetBodyRLP(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (rlp.R
 		return cached.(rlp.RawValue), nil
 	}
 	number := self.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil, errors.New("unknown block")
 	}
-	body, err := GetBodyRLP(ctx, self.odr, hash, *number)
+	body, err := GetBodyRLP(ctx, self.odr, hash, number)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -282,10 +282,10 @@ func (self *LightChain) GetBlock(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash, number u
 // caching it if found.
 func (self *LightChain) GetBlockByHash(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (*types.Block, error) {
 	number := self.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.UnknownNumber {
 		return nil, errors.New("unknown block")
 	}
-	return self.GetBlock(ctx, hash, *number)
+	return self.GetBlock(ctx, hash, number)
 }
 
 // GetBlockByNumber retrieves a block from the database or ODR service by