There have been many versions of US banknotes throughout history

The US has used a wide variety of different currencies between the 1690s and today

From colonial money to national banknotes, people have used all kinds of forms of currency throughout the history of the United States before settling on the dollar bills and quarters that we pay for things with today.

During the Civil War, the US government printed paper money for the first time

Those original paper bills were called “greenbacks” or “demand notes.” Since then, paper money has evolved with different designs, names, and values. Today, it is solely issued by the Bureau of Engraving & Printing.

The designs on US coins have changed a lot over the years

From states producing and issuing their own coins after the Revolutionary War, to collectors’ coins in modern times, US coins have had many design changes throughout history. You can learn about the different variations, plus what design elements are added to all US coins today, in an article.

Throughout most of the 1800s, US currency was backed by silver and gold

In post-Civil War America, the government moved to use only the gold standard. This was how US currency was backed for decades in the US. You can read a comprehensive explainer on the gold standard and its history in the US to learn more.

The US once had a $100K bill

There are currently seven denominations of paper money, with the highest value reaching $100. But there used to be more that have since been discontinued, including bills that sported the faces of President William McKinley and President James Madison.

Hamilton has appeared on US paper currency since the Civil War

Since the US began printing money in 1861, Alexander Hamilton has appeared at different times on the $5, $2, $20, $50, $500, and $1000 bills. Since 1928, he has remained on the $10 bill—making him, alongside Benjamin Franklin, one of the two non-presidents currently on US currency.

Dive into the fascinating journey of a Federal Reserve note

Ever wondered how long an individual dollar bill lasts? After cash is designed and produced, money circulates in the economy, with $100 bills staying in use for the longest on average—roughly 15 years—and the $10 lasting just less than five.

The US Currency Education Program created a guide to authenticating currency

This video was created to teach everyday people a few easy ways to spot some counterfeit banknotes. Specifically, it outlines the main security features to check for that are common across many US banknotes, such as the color-shifting ink visible when tiling US banknotes $10 or higher.

How US currency is issued

Cash in the US is the result of a collaborative process between the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department, regional banks, and a little-known agency called the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. From design to issuance, learn the steps in currency production in the US with this smart, aesthetic interactive.

The $1 bill hasn’t been redesigned in over 60 years

From a counterfeiting and forgery perspective, this makes the $1 bill one of the least secure American banknotes. In this video, the Wall Street Journal sits down with a leading currency expert to explore the techniques used to keep cash safe and figure out what's going on with the $1 bill.

The Federal Reserve tracks how much US currency is circulated around the world every year

It's estimated that about half of US currency is circulated outside of the US. In 2023, there were 54.6B US notes circulated, with 18.9B of those being $100 bills. This chart shows how many US notes have circulated since 1997.

The United States had a washing machine that cleaned dirty dollar bills

In the early 1900s, the US Treasury Department had a machine that washed and ironed old, soiled paper bills. The machine helped the Treasury save money by decreasing printing costs for new dollar bills, but had nothing to do with the modern understanding of money laundering.

The US dollar is the most popular note to counterfeit

Counterfeit operations are often controlled by rogue governments, drug cartels, and more. These organized crime rings often sell counterfeit bills wholesale, for anywhere between 40 and 70 cents per dollar.

Every printed bill has its own unique serial number

In the US, each bill also has its own plate number, series year, Treasury seal, and more. Each design helps track money and combat counterfeiting.

Central banking in the US has had a fraught political history

That history includes its doomed early efforts in the First and Second National Banks, as well as its failure to address the worst financial period in US history, the Great Depression.

Governments have historically used counterfeiting for economic warfare

Inserting fake currency into an economy can help destabilize it. During the American Revolution, for instance, the British distributed counterfeit “Continental Dollars” in an effort to devalue the currency being used in the US at the time with the goal of undermining America’s growing financial credibility. The Nazis also ran an extensive counterfeiting scheme during WWII.

Harriet Tubman will be featured on the $20 bill in 2028

While the face of money is changing, most of the historical figures that grace US currency haven’t changed in a long time. From President George Washington on the $1 bill and quarter to President Abraham Lincoln on the penny and $5 bill, this article details all the people you can find on your cash.

The Secret Service was originally formed to combat counterfeiting

By the 1860s, an estimated one-third of US currency in circulation was counterfeit. In 1865, the Secret Service was created specifically to combat the country's serious counterfeiting problem, which had led to widespread financial instability. This was partly due to the lack of federal currency standardization in the country at the time.

Contrary to popular belief, the $2 bill is still in circulation today

However, it is far less common than other bills. Usage of the $2 bill has been in decline for decades, but the US Treasury hasn’t retired the bill yet. A podcast episode from the Fed’s educational program explains why the Treasury doesn’t print new $2 bills every year, and why they're still considered legal tender.

See checks signed by US presidents

One bank has made it a point to conserve checks from US presidents. Peruse this gallery of signed checks from Washington, FDR, JFK, Lincoln, and more.

Some coin denominations have ridges etched on their sides, partly to prevent counterfeiting, in a practice called 'reeding.'

Key moments that shaped the national debt include the Civil War, both World Wars, the 2008 recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic

The US national debt has grown alongside wars, recessions, and policy shifts—from $75M after the Revolutionary War to over $34T today. This visual timeline walks through key moments that shaped the debt.

From bartering to banking, temples to electronic transactions, here’s banking has evolved significantly since ancient times

A few historical facts about banking (like that one day, not long ago, certificates of deposit were physical pieces of paper) may not surprise you. But did you know that the church was the original lender? And that Julius Caesar himself invented foreclosure?

The US dollar is the most widely circulated currency in the world, and is involved in nearly 90% of global transactions

Treasury bonds, notes, and bills are critical vehicles for the federal government to raise money for public expenses and manage the national debt

For investors, they're all usually considered low-risk options since they’re backed by the federal government.

Congress has the power to enact laws related to bankruptcy, thanks to the US Constitution

It has done just that since 1800. This legislation, which outlines the various types of bankruptcy filings, has evolved over time. The most recent iteration is the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, which introduced Chapter 11 filings in an effort to make the process easier for businesses and individuals.

Roughly 43 million US borrowers owe roughly $1.7T in student debt, the second-largest source of consumer debt behind mortgages.

Since its inception in 1938, Congress has raised the federal minimum wage 22 times

If you want all the details about when and why these rate increases happened check out this resource from the US Department of Labor.

Hear about the 250-year history of the United States Postal Service, complete with some of its strangest deliveries, important innovations, and the figures that made it an American institution.

The United States is one of only around two dozen countries with a fully federal system of government, in which power is divided between national and state governments.

See a ranking of the best (and worst) Federal Reserve Chairs since 1914 out of the 16 men and women who have held the office since.

Trace how the Bill of Rights, inspired by centuries of political theory, took shape between 1774 and 1789.

The original copy of the Declaration of Independence is not a pristine document, and even features a smudged anonymous handprint in the bottom left corner.

While the first exchange-traded fund (a 'basket' of different assets that can be bought and sold on a stock exchange) in the US only launched in 1993, the global ETF market has grown to more than $10T in the short time since.

The United States has had a tumultuous relationship with Cuba since its 1959 revolution, highlighted by a nuclear crisis and a decades-long trade embargo.

A century of Billboard issues documenting the evolution of popular music.

Explore an interactive map of battles from the American Revolution, along with detailed summaries of each engagement

Before the current East Wing ballroom project, only two White House renovations in the past 100 years cost more than $10M.

Experimental hantavirus vaccines and therapies, still under development, have long been funded by the US military.

View the ten deadliest tornadoes in US history.

The American Society of Civil Engineers' infrastructure report card gave the US a C in 2025, its highest grade since the project launched in 1998.

Many legends about George Washington, including his supposed wooden teeth and the story of cutting down the cherry tree, lack evidence.

Budweiser stores yeast derived from the original 1800s strain in a secret bunker, which only the Head of Yeast Management can access—not even the CEO

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

See how fireworks are made and learn how metals like magnesium and copper are responsible for different colors.

'Shogun,' a 1980s TV series, helped popularize sushi in the US by stimulating an American interest in Japanese culture.

Graffiti dates back to at least ancient Pompeii, where citizens scrawled messages to one another on public walls

For centuries, it was common to sleep in two shifts: a few hours at the beginning of the night, and a longer period beginning around midnight

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon