While other forms of currencies were used prior, the current paper money was first introduced in 1862 during the American Civil War. Initially issued as a legal tender for government transactions in financing the war, it eventually became widely circulated.
Who Is on the $1 Dollar Bill?
Over the years faces on the one-dollar bill have changed accommodating various historical figures. Some of these individuals are discussed below:
Salmon P. Chase
Chase appeared on the very first United States Note of a one-dollar bill in 1862 while serving as Treasury Secretary. His inclusion was in appreciation of his position and role in creation of a modern paper currency system.
Salmon Portland Chase served in various distinguished capacities. He represented the State of Ohio in the US Senate before serving as its 23rd governor. Additionally, he was the 25th Secretary of the Treasury under President Abraham Lincoln as well as Chief Justice (6th).
George Washington
George Washington first appeared on the one-dollar bill in 1869 replacing Salmon P. Chase. His portrait was retained on the large-sized bill in 1918, as well as the redesigned Silver Certificate and United States Note in 1923. It is the current face of the present-day one-dollar bill.
Washington was the first president of the United States who led the American forces in their war for independence from the British. He is considered one of the Founding Fathers and widely regarded as the Father of the USA.
His presence on the bill is by virtue of his role in the American Revolution and his status as a Founding Father and first president.
Martha Washington
Martha Washington was the first woman to appear on any form of U.S. currency, featuring on the one-dollar silver certificate issued in 1886.
She was the wife of the first president of the United States, George Washington. Her inclusion was as part of a series of educational-themed bills honoring her role as the nation’s first First Lady.
Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant
The 1899 redesign of the one-dollar silver certificate featured small portraits of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
Abraham Lincoln was an American statesman largely remembered for his role in abolishing slavery as the 16th US president. Ulysses S. Grant served as commanding general for the Union Forces in the American Civil War before ascending to become America’s 18th president.
The use of their portraits on the silver certificate recognized their civil rights efforts, particularly the emancipation and protection of African Americans.
Who Is on the $2 Dollar Bill?
There have been a few historical figures featured on the two-dollar bill which is the rarest bill still in supply. They include:
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton appeared on the first two-dollar bill issued in 1862. His inclusion recognized his efforts in establishing a banking system and creating the first bank of the United States.
Hamilton served in the military during the American Revolution and is regarded as a Founding Father. He was part of the first cabinet under President George Washington serving as Secretary of the Treasury.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson’s portrait was first used on the two-dollar bill in 1869 replacing Hamilton’s and remaining in use to date. His portrait was also retained for the large-sized Federal Reserve Bank notes that were dispensed in 1918.
Thomas Jefferson wore many caps in his lifetime cementing his place in history and inclusion in American currency. He was the USA’s third president and before that, the first Secretary of State under President Washington, and second vice-president under President John Adams.
Winfield Scott Hancock
Hancock was featured on the two-dollar silver certificate issued in 1886. His inclusion recognized his successful war efforts as a general in the Union army in the Civil War of America.
William Windom
William Windom appeared on the two-dollar certificate issued in 1891 replacing Winfield Hancock. This was to commemorate Windom who died earlier that year serving as Treasury Secretary.
William Windom previously served in Congress in both houses, first as a Representative and later as a Senator. He was Treasury Secretary in the governments of three different presidents.
George Washington
The Founding Father was once again honored in American currency, finding his portrait on the redesigned two-dollar certificate of 1899.
Who Is on the $5 Dollar Bill?
Some of the notable faces to have made an appearance on the five-dollar bill include:
Alexander Hamilton
The very first bill for five dollars made its debut in 1861 as a Demand Note featuring the portrait of one Alexander Hamilton. It was later re-issued in 1862 with the same portrait but now as a United States Note with changed reverse features.
As mentioned, Hamilton’s appearance on several dollar bills was thanks to his role in establishing a financial system in the newly established country.
Andrew Jackson
The five-dollar United States Bill with Andre Jackson’s portrait was introduced in 1869 replacing Alexander Hamilton on the obverse. Jackson led the country as the seventh president between 1829 and 1837 after serving in the United States Army and Congress.
Ulysses S. Grant
The eighteenth president was featured on the first five-dollar silver certificate issued in 1886. Grant was known as a war hero for his civil rights work in protecting the rights of African Americans.
Running Antelope
After thirteen years in 1899, the silver certificate bearing the five-dollar value was reissued new with the portrait of Running Antelope. This dollar bill commemorated Running Antelope, a well-known Native American chief who died in 1896.
Running Antelope was known for his diplomatic efforts in fostering peaceful coexistence between the white populace and native tribes. To date, no other Native American has featured on any US dollar bills.
Benjamin Franklin
In 1902, the Federal Reserve issued a large-size five-dollar National Banknote with Benjamin Franklin’s portrait. Benjamin Franklin was recognized for his role as a Founding Father and active involvement in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
Abraham Lincoln
The current face on the five-dollar bill, Abraham Lincoln made his debut on the Federal Reserve Note in 1914. His countenance was also featured on the redesigned silver certificate bearing the same dollar value in 1923.
Abraham Lincoln’s use on the five-dollar bill pays respect to a great leader who preserved the Union following the American Civil War. Additionally, he laid the groundwork for the civil rights movement for minorities by abolishing slave trade.
Who Is on the $10 Dollar Bill?
The ten-dollar bill made its first appearance in 1861 and has gone on to feature different faces. The following individuals have been commemorated with stints as the face on the $10 note:
Abraham Lincoln
Making its first appearance as a Demand Note, the ten-dollar bill was rolled out in 1861 featuring then president Abraham Lincoln. His portrait was maintained for the United States Note bearing the same value in 1862.
Salmon P. Chase
Interest Bearing Notes with an initial value of ten dollars were presented in 1863 bearing Salmon P. Chase’s visage. These notes could be redeemed with a five percent interest a year from the printed date or strictly for ten-dollar purchases.
Salmon P. Chase’s portrait was retained in the Compound Interest Treasury Notes issued a year later in 1864. The face value of these bills increased by six percent and was compounded every six months.
Daniel Webster
In 1869, Abraham Lincoln’s face was replaced on the ten-dollar United States Note by Daniel Webster’s likeness. Webster was a prominent lawyer who served in Congress and as Secretary of State under three different presidents.
Robert Morris
Robert Morris featured as the face on the initial silver certificate for ten-dollars released in 1878. His recognition was, in part, due to his efforts in establishing a financial system in America alongside Albert Gallatin and Alexander Hamilton.
Robert Morris Jr. was also a Founding Father well known as the Finance Superintendent during the American Revolutionary War. Besides, his was one of the signatures on the Declaration of Independence, as well as the Articles of Confederation and US Constitution.
Thomas A. Hendricks
After eight years, another silver certificate was issued in 1886 bearing the countenance of Thomas A., Hendricks. Hendricks’ died while in office as the twenty first vice president under the presidency of Grover Cleveland in 1885. Use of his image was thus in his honor.
Thomas Andrews Hendricks had before served in both Houses of Congress representing the State if Indiana as well as Governor.
Philip Sheridan
Treasury Notes featuring Philip Sheridan were dispensed in 1890 for the purchase of silver bullion by the government from the respective mining industry. A lifelong serviceman, Sheridan was a Union general during the Civil War and at the time of his death in 1888, a general of the army. His portrait featuring on an American bill was in commemoration of his public service.
Meriweather Lewis and William Clark
The ten-dollar United States Note featuring these prominent Americans debuted in 1901. Lewis and Clark were celebrated on this bill for their work as protagonists of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. This discovery expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore, map, route and occupy the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase territory.
William McKinley
Not long after, in 1902, William McKinley was featured on new National Banknotes of ten-dollars. This move was in respect to the former president following his assassination the previous year.
As president, William McKinley oversaw rapid economic growth stemming from his successful implementation of tariffs and use of the gold standard. He previously served as Governor of Ohio and was the ultimate president who served during the Civil War.
Michael Hillegas
Hillegas featured on the initial ten-dollar gold certificate issued in 1907. His portrait appeared as a result of a petition by his descendants owing to his role as the United States’ first Treasurer during the American independence war efforts.
Andrew Jackson
The first Federal Reserve Note of ten dollars was introduced in 1914 bearing the likeness of the seventh president of America. Later in 1923, he also featured on the redesigned United States Note of the same value. One unique achievement attributed to Jackson as president was his clearing of the nation’s debt.
Alexander Hamilton
Following the introduction of small-sized notes with the Series of 1928 in 1929, the ten-dollar bill debuted new features including Hamilton’s portrait. Since then, the same portrait has been used for all other variations such as the silver and gold certificates to date.
Who Is on the $20 Dollar Bill?
The twenty-dollar bill currently features the portrait of the seventh president of the United States Andrew Jackson. Nonetheless, it has undergone a metamorphosis of faces over the years with the following notable individuals having graced the bill:
Alexander Hamilton
While introduced in 1861 as a Demand Note, it wasn’t until 1869 that it featured a famous portrait on the face. The new design for the United States note featured Alexander Hamilton’s countenance on the left. The new design in 1875 retained Hamilton’s image but with a changed reverse.
Stephen Decatur
A twenty-dollar silver certificate was issued in 1878 featuring the portrait of Stephen Decatur to the right. Stephen Decatur Jr. had a celebrated military career as a naval officer popular for his efforts in modernizing the United States Navy.
James Garfield
A novel gold certificate bearing the same amount was launched in 1882 with the visage of James Garfield. Later that year, the 20th president’s image was retained for the new national bank note.
The use of James Garfield’s portrait paid homage to the leader who served less than year before meeting an untimely death in 1881. Prior to his election as president, he sat in the House of Representatives. His win then made him the only presidential candidate to successfully make such a transition.
Daniel Manning
A redesign of the twenty-dollar silver certificate was endorsed in 1886 featuring Daniel Manning. Manning began his career as a journalist before transitioning to banking and politics. He is best remembered for serving as Treasury Secretary between 1885 and 1887 in President Cleveland’s cabinet.
John Marshall
In 1890, John Marshall made his way as the face on the twenty-dollar Treasury note. Recognized as a founding father, Marshal served as the United States’ fourth and longest-serving chief justice. He also served as Secretary of State and House representative achieving service in all three government branches.
Hugh McCulloch
Another presentation of the national bank note followed in 1902, this time with Hugh McCulloch as the face. He served as Comptroller of the Currency with the Treasury before carrying out two different terms as Treasury Secretary. Among his accomplishments were his reduction of the debt incurred by the Civil war and reestablishment of federal taxation in the South.
George Washington
Once again, the father of the country was honored on an American bill making it to the novel twenty-dollar gold certificate in 1905.
Grover Cleveland
The only president to serve two non-consecutive terms, Stephen Grover Cleveland was immortalized on the last large-sized twenty-dollar Federal Reserve note in 1914. He maintained his place in a similar 1918 issue of a Federal Reserve bank note. He is remembered for his anti-corruption stand and fiscal conservatism.
Andrew Jackson
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing rolled out small-sized notes with the series of 1928. At this point, Andrew Jackson became the new face of the twenty-dollar bill. All other twenty-dollar bill iterations since then to date have had his portrait image.
Given his opposition to paper money and a National Bank, it surprised many the former president featured on a highly circulated bill. However, the Treasury owed his feature to his popularity as a leader for ordinary Americans and public familiarity.
Who Is on the $50 Dollar Bill?
The following individuals have had their likeness used on fifty-dollar bills of different forms in the United States:
Alexander Hamilton
Once again the de facto founder of the American financial system found his face engrained on a dollar bill in 1862. Hamilton’s portrait was also utilized on the fifty-dollar one year Interest Bearing Notes offered in 1863.
Henry Clay
The year 1869 saw a new issue of the fifty-dollar bill US Note with Henry Clay’s visage. A lawyer and statesman, Clay served in both houses of Congress for the people of Kentucky. He was House speaker and Secretary of State making three unsuccessful stabs at the presidency.
Benjamin Franklin
This great American was featured on a new production of fifty-dollar US notes in 1874. His success in newspaper editing and printing admitted him to the Committee of Five and later become the inaugural postmaster general.
Edward Everett
The foremost silver certificates amounting to a fifty-dollar value were issued in 1878 featuring Edward Everett. Everett served in different cabinet positions like Secretary of State while also representing Massachusetts in both houses of Congress, and as governor.
Silas Wright
When gold certificates of fifty-dollar value were first rolled out in 1882, they had the portrait image of Silas Wright. He is remembered for being a House representative, senator and governor of New York State.
William H. Seward
Treasury notes for fifty dollars were produced in 1891 with William H. Seward’s likeness. This was to facilitate silver bullion’s purchase by the government. Seward served as a senator and governor for New York before his Civil War stint as secretary of state for eight years.
Ulysses Grant
The revered army general turned president was first featured on new gold certificates for fifty dollars in 1913. His facial image was then retained for the first Federal Reserve note of the same value in 1914.
When the last large-sized notes issued as gold certificates were launched in 1922, they maintained the good general’s likeness. This was maintained in the subsequent fifty-dollar small-sized notes series of 1928 covering all variations.
The first such notes to be produced were a Federal Reserve note and gold certificate. Thereafter, while there’ve been several changes in design, the image of Ulysses S. Grant has remained a common denominator up to today.
Who Is on the $100 Dollar Bill?
Currently the highest available denomination in circulation, the hundred-dollar bill has featured a variety of faces since its initial issue. Notable persons bestowed this privilege include:
Winfield Scott
Not intended for circulation, the first hundred-dollar bill was a three-year Interest Note rolled out in 1861. It featured the American military leader who partook in America’s nineteenth-century wars Winfield Scott’s portrait. It was rolled out upon his retirement as an ode to his many years of service.
George Washington
The one-year Interest Bearing Note issued in 1863 featured George Washington who oversaw the birth of a new nation as a post-independence leader. Later in 1864, his portrait was maintained for the circulated Compound Interest Treasury Notes.
Abraham Lincoln
In 1869, the man who gave the emancipation proclamation, Abraham Lincoln, became the face on the new hundred-dollar US note. Lincoln was mortally wounded by a gunshot to his head a few days after the war-ending events in Appomattox in 1865.
Thomas Hart Benton
A one-sided hundred-dollar gold certificate was issued for the first time in 1870 with Senator Thomas Hart Benton’s portrait to the left. It was later revised in 1882 bearing the same portrait image. He was the first senator to serve five consecutive terms, and known for championing westward expansion.
James Monroe
The first release of the hundred-dollar silver certificate in 1878 bore the facial resemblance of James Monroe. Monroe was the last president recognized as a founding father and fifth overall. His career spanned stints as a senator, governor, ambassador, secretary of war, and secretary of state.
David G. Farragut
Treasury notes, used in the silver bullion purchase by the government, of hundred-dollar value, were dispended in 1890 with David G. Farragut’s likeness. He is celebrated for his achievements as a naval officer in the Civil War. He was the first to achieve the ranks of rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral.
John J. Knox
John Jay Knox Jr. was featured on National banknotes of one hundred dollars in 1902. He is known for bringing to an end silver dollar use as the main drafter of 1873’s Coinage Act. Knox also advocated for a uniform currency system serving as Currency Comptroller between 1872 and 1884.
Benjamin Franklin
The all-round American thinker’s feature debut on the hundred-dollar bill came in 1914 on Federal Reserve notes. When smaller-sized notes were introduced in 1929, it was decided to keep Benjamin Franklin’s countenance on all hundred-dollar bill variations.
While he never ascended to the presidency, Benjamin Franklin had many feathers in his cap. Besides his political work, he dabbled in science with several inventions credited to him. He is fondly considered by some historians as the president who was never president.
Discontinued Bills
Discontinued bills are those no longer issued by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing for public circulation. These bills were discontinued in 1969 and include:
Who Is on the $500 Dollar Bill?
William McKinley
All variations of the five-hundred dollar bill featured the countenance of William McKinley with the last issue in 1945. McKinley served as an American president having started his military career from an enlisted rank.
Who Is on the $1,000 Dollar Bill?
Alexander Hamilton
Like on many other dollar bills, the portrait of the father of the American financial system was present on the first thousand-dollar bill.
Grover Cleveland
The last issue of the thousand-dollar bill featured the 22nd and 24th president’s visage, Grover Cleveland. While he served non-consecutive terms, he participated in all three elections, winning the popular vote. He lost the Electoral College in the polls in which he was incumbent.
Who Is on the $5,000 Dollar Bill?
James Madison
Primarily intended for interbank transactions, the five-thousand-dollar bill featured the image of founding father James Madison. His role in developing the United States constitution has seen him referred to as the Father of the Constitution. He also served as the USA’s fourth president.
Who Is on the $10,000 Dollar Bill?
Salmon P. Chase
First rolled out for public circulation in 1918, the ten-thousand-dollar bill featured the highly accomplished Salmon P. Chase as its face. Besides representing Ohio in the Senate and serving as its governor, Chase was also Chief Justice and Lincoln’s Treasury Secretary.
Who Is on the $100,000 Dollar Bill?
Woodrow Wilson
Amidst the period of the great depression circa 1934, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing issued the one hundred thousand dollar gold certificate. This US note featured the countenance of former president Woodrow Wilson and was intended for Federal Reserve bank transactions.
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was highly educated serving as Princeton University president and New Jersey Governor before ascending to the presidency. As president, he instigated banking reforms with the establishment of the Federal Reserve System and reduced tariff rates.
More Resources:
American Money – Source: USA GOV
The Seven Denominations – Source: U.S.A. Currency Education Program
History of US Currency – Source: U.S.A. Currency Education program
Faces on US Bill – Source: Thought
United States Dollar – Source: Wikipedia