The United States Department of the Treasury and Federal Reserve Banks distributed seven denominations of U.S. currency ranging from $1 to $100 as of 2015. At the time, the Treasury Department determined these currency values are sufficient to meet the needs of the public. Additional types with larger face values were used in the past.
Faces and Figures
- The familiar face of George Washington has been on the $1 bill since 1869.
- Thomas Jefferson has appeared on $2 notes since 1869. This denomination has never really caught on with the public, but remains in circulation.
- The face of Abraham Lincoln is on the front of the $5 bill. There is an image of the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse side.
- Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, appears on $10 notes.
- Andrew Jackson, seventh president of the United States, replaced that of Grover Cleveland on the $20 bill in 1928.
- President Ulysses S. Grant is on the $50 note.
- The $100 bill bears the image of Benjamin Franklin.
The Biggest Bill Ever
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced a series of $100,000 gold certificates from December 18, 1934 until January 9, 1935. The certificates, which featured a portrait of Woodrow Wilson, represent the largest denomination ever printed as of 2015. The $100,000 bills were used only to transfer funds between Federal Reserve Banks.
Discontinued Denominations
Bills of $500 to $10,000 circulated until 1969. Banks used them to transfer funds to other banks. The Treasury Department discontinued these notes because technological advances made physically moving cash from one bank to another unnecessary.
- The $500 bill bears an image of William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States.
- Starting in 1928, $1,000 notes carried a picture of Grover Cleveland, who served nonconsecutive terms as the 22nd president and 24th president.
- $5,000 bills had a portrait of President James Madison.
- The $10,000 bill bore the image of Salmon P. Chase, Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury.