To date, the US dollar is considered the recognized world reserve currency. This currency is so in demand among the states of our planet that some of us even recognized it as the main one. We will talk about what US dollar bills are in this article.
Interesting Facts
The Federal Reserve System has the exclusive right to issue American money , which, in essence, serves as the central bank of the state. Absolutely all denominations of dollar bills have their own weight of about one gram. Moreover, each of them is made from special threads, of which 75% is cotton and 25% is linen. This combination provides money with optimal resistance to mechanical and chemical effects, and also protects them from the appearance of yellowness as a result of many years of use. In addition, special synthetic threads are available to strengthen each bill. In order to bring the American bill in complete disrepair, it will need to be bent more than 4 thousand times.
Existing banknotes
Today, denominations of dollar bills are as follows:
- One dollar. Perhaps the most mysterious bill, because there are symbols that are associated with the Masons: a pyramid with a truncated top, above which is surrounded by rays a triangle with an all-seeing eye. It is generally accepted that this sign means strength, the endless growth and perfection of the American state. On the front side of the bill is printed the face of George Washington, who was the head of the country from 1789-1797.
- Two dollars. Contains an image of Thomas Jefferson - Secretary of State during the reign of Washington.
- Five dollars. Banknotes with this denomination first saw the light in 1928. They are decorated with the face of Abraham Lincoln - the sixteenth president of the United States.
- Ten dollars. The front side is decorated with a portrait of Alexander Hamilton - the first Minister of Finance in the history of the country.
- Twenty dollars. They "took possession" of Andrew Jackson - the seventh president of the United States. The reverse side of the bill contains an image of the White House.
- Fifty dollars. On banknotes with this denomination, the face of Ulysses Simpson Grant, the eighteenth president of the United States, was immortalized. There was also a place on the back of the money and the Capitol building.
- One hundred dollars. They print a portrait of Benjamin Franklin.
Not printable
There are also denominations of dollar bills that are no longer printed. Among them:
- 500 dollars. They depict the 25th President of the United States, William McKinley, who died at the hands of the anarchist.
- 1000 dollars. The bill is dedicated to Stephen Grover Cleveland - the president who managed to restore the gold standard of this currency.
- 5000 dollars. This money depicts James Madison, the author of the foundations of the US Constitution.
- 10,000 dollars. The bill contains a portrait of Salmon Portland Chase - the man who ordered the legendary phrase In God We Trust to be printed on American money.
- 100,000 dollars. They depict the face of Thomas Woodrow Wilson - the 28th president of the United States, the author of the Peace Program, which contributed to the restoration of international relations between states after the First World War.
Dislike for "kopecks"
Today, denominations of dollar bills are quite diverse, but Americans have a particular dislike for rare bills of two dollars. This is due to the following points:
- Many years ago, two dollars cost the services of a prostitute, and therefore the presence of such a bill in a person could signal his frequent communication with “night butterflies,” and this could completely deprive the owner of the “couple” of career prospects.
- At a time when it was allowed to acquire votes in elections, the payment for this was exactly two bucks. Thus, a person with a couple of dollars in his wallet could well sell his vote.
- It is still unclear why other denominations of dollar bills were not used on the sweepstakes, but the fact remains that the standard rate at the races was two dollars, and the winner also received his winnings in these bills. As a result, a person who owns a bundle of two-dollar bills betrayed a person playing a tote. It is important to remember that gambling has been banned for a long time, and a person with a high social position did not want to show his involvement in such an activity.
Bill replacement frequency
Since all denominations of US dollar bills are intensively circulated in society, they are replaced on a regular basis. The federal system of the United States has determined the life of each bill. Thus, a one-dollar banknote can survive for about 22 months, five dollars can withstand 16 months of circulation, 10 dollars for 18 months, 20 dollars are calculated for 24 months, and 50 dollars for 55 months. The hundred-dollar bill turned out to be the most resistant to wear, which withstands 89 months without any problems. The largest number of bank notes in circulation is in one dollar. According to official figures, in 2009, one-dollar bills were issued 42.3% of the total volume of US dollars.
Bucks and African Americans
All denominations of the US dollar (which banknotes exist, was mentioned above) never contained images of African-American representatives of society. Although, in fairness, it is worth noting that in the 40s of the 20th century several coins were issued on which portraits of black outstanding personalities (athletes, scientists, politicians) were minted. In addition, the notes contain the signatures of four employees of the Treasury of America, having a black skin color.