Us Currency Paper Money Chart Early History to Modern Times

The history of US currency paper money is a long and fascinating one, spanning over two centuries. The first paper money in the US was issued in 1862, during the Civil War, in the form of $5, $10, and $20 bills.

The first $5 bill, for example, was issued in 1862 with a portrait of Salmon P. Chase, who was the Secretary of the Treasury at the time. The $5 bill has undergone several design changes since then, with the most recent update in 2008.

The $10 bill has also had its share of design changes, with the most notable one being the addition of a Treasury seal in 1914. Today, the $10 bill features a portrait of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the US.

The early days of US currency were marked by the use of paper money, which was first introduced in 1862.

The first paper currency issued by the US government was the United States Note, also known as the "greenback."

These notes were used to finance the Civil War and were initially not backed by gold or silver reserves.

The United States Note was printed in large quantities and was used to pay soldiers and purchase supplies.

It was also used to finance the war effort and was a crucial part of the US economy during that time.

In 1869, the Specie Resumption Act was passed, which allowed the US government to resume the use of gold and silver as backing for its currency.

This marked a significant shift in the US currency system and paved the way for the modern dollar.

There were several types of US currency that were no longer in use, including Federal Reserve Notes, Gold Certificates, and National Currency and Federal Reserve Bank Notes.

These older denominations included $500, $1000, $5000, $10000, $10, $20, $50, and $100 notes.

Here are some of the specific types of US currency that were issued during different time periods:

During the American Civil War, silver and gold coins were hoarded by the public due to uncertainty about the war's outcome.

People began to use postage stamps instead, encasing them in metal for better protection.

The U.S. government issued paper currency of denominations under a dollar to substitute for coins.

These denominations included 3¢, 5¢, 10¢, 15¢, 25¢, and 50¢.

There were five issues of fractional currency.

United States Notes were the main currency form of the United States from 1862 to 1971. They were not redeemable but were receivable for all taxes and debts.

These notes had a red seal and were originally issued in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, and $1,000. $5,000 and $10,000 notes were issued in 1878 and were not issued again.

United States Notes switched to small size in 1928 and were introduced in denominations of only $1, $2, and $5. The $2 and $5 were issued through 1966, and the $2 note was only available as a United States Note.

Here's a list of the denominations of United States Notes issued in small size:

In 1966, a $100 US note was issued to meet legal requirements about the amount of notes in circulation.

Silver certificates were issued from 1878 through 1964 and were redeemable in silver coin through 1967 and thereafter in raw silver bullion.

They were removed from circulation in 1964, at the same time as silver coins. Silver certificates were originally issued in denominations of $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1,000, with $1, $2 and $5 notes added in 1882.

Small size notes were only made in denominations of $1, $5 and $10, and featured a blue seal, except for special issues made during World War II that had yellow or brown seals.

Gold certificates were issued from 1865 through 1934 and were redeemable in gold coin.

They were originally issued in large size through 1929 and in small size thereafter. A $50 note was added in 1882.

A $100,000 note was also issued in 1934 but never made available to the general public. It is still illegal to own.

A $10 note was introduced in 1907, and gold certificates were recalled to be redeemed for United States Notes following the 1933 ban on gold ownership in the United States.

Silver certificates were issued from 1878 through 1964 and were redeemable in silver coin through 1967 and thereafter in raw silver bullion.

They were removed from circulation in 1964, at the same time as silver coins. This was a significant change for collectors and enthusiasts.

Silver certificates were originally issued in denominations of $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1,000. Later, $1, $2 and $5 notes were added in 1882.

The small size notes were only made in denominations of $1, $5 and $10.

Federal Reserve Notes are a fascinating aspect of US currency. The notes have a unique indicator that corresponds to one of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks.

For denominations $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100, the indicator is a combination of a letter and number designation. The letter matches the second letter of the serial number on the note.

Here's a breakdown of the indicator codes for these denominations:

For denominations $1 and $2, the note includes a seal that identifies one of the 12 Federal Reserve banks.

Federal Reserve Notes were introduced in 1914, alongside the creation of the Federal Reserve System. They are liabilities of the Federal Reserve System as a whole.

These notes were issued from 1914 to 1934. They were discontinued in 1934 and no longer available from banks since 1945.

Federal Reserve Notes were replaced by other types of notes, which also switched to small size in 1929.

Federal Reserve Indicators are an interesting feature of Federal Reserve Notes. The indicators are used to identify which of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks a note was issued by.

For denominations $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100, the indicator is a letter and number designation. This designation corresponds to one of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks.

The letter of each indicator matches the second letter of the serial number on the note. For example, the indicator A1 corresponds to Boston, while E5 corresponds to Richmond.

Here's a breakdown of the indicators for some of the Federal Reserve Banks:

For denominations $1 and $2, the note includes a seal that identifies one of the 12 Federal Reserve banks.

George Washington's face has been on the front of the $1 bill since 1869, when it was first introduced on the bill.

The $2 bill, which was first issued in 1862, initially featured Alexander Hamilton's face, but it was swapped with Thomas Jefferson's face in 1869.

President Ulysses S. Grant's face has been on the $50 bill since it was first issued in 1914.

Grover Cleveland's face appears on the $1,000 bill, which was discontinued in 1969 but was last printed in 1945.

The $100,000 bill, also known as a "gold certificate", features President Woodrow Wilson's face and was used only by Federal Reserve Banks.

The $5 bill features President Abraham Lincoln's face, a familiar sight for many of us. His image has been a constant on the bill since its introduction in 1914.

The $5 bill has undergone several redesigns over the years, but Lincoln's face has remained the same.

Alexander Hamilton's face is on the $10 bill, a position he's held since 1929 when he was swapped in for President Andrew Jackson. Jackson's face was moved to the $20 bill.

The printing of the $10 bill and larger denominations followed the passage of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. This act created the nation's central bank and authorized the circulation of Federal Reserve Bank Notes as a form of currency.

Alexander Hamilton was a founding father and former Treasury Secretary, making him a significant figure in American history.

Grover Cleveland's face appears on the $1,000 bill, which was first printed in 1918. Hamilton's face initially appeared on the denomination.

The $1,000 bill was discontinued in 1969, but it was last printed in 1945. Americans continue to hold the notes, according to the Treasury.

Grover Cleveland served as President, but his face is the only one on the $1,000 bill.

Benjamin Franklin's face is on the $100 bill, the largest denomination in circulation. He's been featured on the bill since 1914.

The $100 bill was first issued by the government in 1914.

Woodrow Wilson is one of the few US Presidents to have his face on a rare and valuable currency. The $100,000 gold certificate features his likeness.

This denomination was used only by Federal Reserve Banks and was never circulated among the general public. It's worth more than $1 million to collectors.

The United States has issued a wide range of currency denominations over the years, some of which are no longer in circulation. Federal Reserve Notes, for example, were issued in denominations ranging from $10 to $100,000.

Some of the older denominations include $500, $1000, $5000, and $10000 notes, which were issued during the terms of various U.S. Treasurers and Secretaries of the Treasury. Here's a brief overview of some of these denominations:

These denominations were eventually phased out, and the U.S. Treasury Department began issuing new notes in smaller denominations.

National Bank Notes were issued by banks chartered or authorized to do so by the Federal Government. They were of uniform appearance except for the name of the bank.

The charter expired after 20 years, but could be renewed. National Bank Notes were discontinued in 1933.

They were issued as three series or charter periods: 1869–1882, 1882–1902, and 1902–1922. The Great Depression motivated an emergency reissue in 1929.

The denominations issued were $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1,000. The $1, $2, $500 and $1,000 notes were only issued in large size until 1882.

Only three remaining examples of the $500 note are known. The $1,000 note is unknown to exist.

These Treasury or Coin Notes were issued in 1890 and 1891, and they were redeemable for coins. The Secretary of the Treasury had the final say on whether the coins would be silver or gold.

They were originally issued in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $100, and $1,000. The $50 and $500 notes were introduced in 1891, expanding the range of available denominations.

In the past, the US government issued a wide range of denominations and types of currency, which can be a bit confusing to navigate.

One of the earliest forms of US currency was the Demand Note, which was succeeded by the United States Note, also known as Legal Tender Note. These notes were not redeemable but were receivable for all taxes and debts.

The United States Note had a red seal and was originally issued in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, and $1,000.

The Federal Reserve Note, on the other hand, was a type of currency that was introduced in 1914 and was initially issued in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000.

Here's a brief overview of some of the older denominations and types of US currency:

The United States Note had a significant impact on the US economy, and its discontinuation in 1971 marked the end of an era for this type of currency.