What Money Is Benjamin Franklin On

You pull out a crisp hundred-dollar bill. That said, the face staring back at you is familiar — spectacles, wavy hair, that slightly bemused expression. Everyone knows it's Ben Franklin. But here's the thing: he was never president. So how did a guy who never held the nation's highest office end up on the most recognizable piece of American currency?

The short answer: the $100 bill. But the longer answer is a lot more interesting.

What Money Is Benjamin Franklin On

Benjamin Franklin appears on the United States one-hundred-dollar bill. That's it. On top of that, that's the only denomination. He's been there since 1914, when the Federal Reserve Note series launched, and he hasn't budged since.

Before that, the $100 bill featured other figures — Abraham Lincoln, James Monroe, even an allegorical figure representing "America.On top of that, " But once Franklin landed on the note, he stayed. The portrait used today is based on a 1785 painting by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis, hanging in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Engravers have refined it over the decades, but the source hasn't changed.

The $100 Bill Through the Years

The design has seen major overhauls. The 1996 series introduced a larger, off-center portrait and a watermark. The 2009 series (released in 2013 after production delays) added the blue 3D security ribbon, color-shifting ink in the inkwell, and a portrait watermark visible from both sides. The current note still carries Franklin's face, but the technology around it has evolved to stay ahead of counterfeiters.

Older series — 1990, 1996, 2001, 2006 — are still legal tender. On top of that, they don't expire. But if you hand a 1990-series hundred to a cashier under 30, don't be surprised if they stare at it like it's a museum piece.

Why Franklin? Why Not a President?

This is the question most people don't think to ask. All presidents. Washington's on the one. Plus, hamilton's on the ten. Jackson's on the twenty. Now, grant's on the fifty. Then you hit the hundred, and it's... Practically speaking, lincoln's on the five. a printer, inventor, diplomat, and signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Franklin earned his spot through sheer range. Even so, he negotiated the French alliance that made American independence possible. He helped draft the founding documents. But he founded the University of Pennsylvania and the first public library. He built the postal system. Which means he invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove. He was, by any measure, a founder of the country in ways that went beyond politics.

The Treasury Department has never issued an official "why him" statement for every denomination. But the pattern is clear: the hundred honors contribution to the nation's founding and character, not just executive office. Franklin represents the self-made American — the guy who showed up in Philadelphia with a few coins in his pocket and became the most famous American in the world.

The Only Non-President on Current Paper Money

Actually, that's not quite true anymore. In practice, alexander Hamilton (ten) was never president either. Neither was Salmon P. In real terms, chase, who appeared on the $10,000 bill (discontinued in 1969). But among the bills you'll actually encounter in daily life — ones, fives, tens, twenties, fifties, hundreds — Franklin and Hamilton are the only non-presidents.

And Franklin is the only one who signed all four key founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and the Constitution. That's a resume no president can match.

How the $100 Bill Works in Practice

The hundred is a strange beast. Here's the thing — according to Federal Reserve data, the vast majority of $100 bills — something like 80% — are held outside the United States. In real terms, it's the highest denomination in circulation, but most Americans rarely use one. They're a global reserve currency, a store of value in countries with unstable local money, a tool for international trade, and yes, sometimes a vehicle for illicit finance.

Inside the U.Many small businesses won't accept them. , you'll see them at casinos, high-end retailers, car dealerships, and... S.not much else. Some gas stations and fast-food places post "no bills over $20" signs. It's not illegal to refuse a hundred — private businesses can set their own payment policies — but it catches people off guard.

Security Features You Can Actually Check

If you handle a hundred, you should know the real ones. The current series (2009A and later) has:

• A blue 3D security ribbon woven into the paper, not printed on it. Tilt the note and the bells and 100s move.
• Color-shifting ink in the copper inkwell — the bell inside changes from copper to green.
• A portrait watermark visible from both sides when held to light.
• A security thread running vertically to the left of the portrait, glowing pink under UV light.
• Microprinting on the collar, around the portrait, and in other spots — too small for most copiers to reproduce.
• Raised printing on Franklin's shoulder and other areas — you can feel it with a fingertip.

Older series have fewer features. The 1996–2006 notes have a watermark, security thread, and color-shifting ink in the lower-right numeral, but no 3D ribbon. The pre-1996 "small head" notes have basically just the thread and microprinting. They're the easiest to counterfeit and the hardest to verify quickly.

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If you're in a situation where you need to check a hundred — selling a car privately, taking cash for a high-ticket item — take the time. That said, use a counterfeit detection pen (they react to starch in regular paper, not the cotton-linen blend of real currency) but don't rely on it alone. Sophisticated fakes can beat the pen. The ribbon, watermark, and thread are harder to fake.

Common Mistakes / What Most People Get Wrong

Mistake: "Franklin was president."
He wasn't. Never ran. Never held elected federal office. He was a diplomat, postmaster general, and Pennsylvania's president (a state role, equivalent to governor) — but not President of the United States.

Mistake: "The $100 bill is the highest denomination ever printed."
Not even close. The U.S. printed $500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000, and even $100,000 notes. The $100,000 gold certificate (Series 1934) featured Woodrow Wilson and was only used for transactions between Federal Reserve Banks. It was never circulated publicly. The $500–$10,000 notes were discontinued in 1969 due to lack of use and concerns about organized crime. They're still legal tender but worth far more to collectors than face value.

Mistake: "All $100 bills look the same."
There have been at least six distinct series since 1914, plus small variations within series. The "small head" notes (pre-1996), the "large head" 1996–20

The 2009A Upgrade – What Made It Harder to Replicate

When the Treasury rolled out the 2009A version, the design team added a suite of features that turned the note into a miniature anti‑counterfeit laboratory. The most visible element is the 3‑D security ribbon that runs vertically through the center of the bill. Unlike a printed stripe, the ribbon is woven from alternating layers of polymer and metallic foil; when the note is tilted, the embedded “bells” and “100s” appear to shift depth, creating a moving holographic effect that ordinary printers cannot mimic.

Complementing the ribbon, the color‑shifting inkwell in the lower‑right quadrant now contains a proprietary pigment that transitions from copper to a vivid green as the viewing angle changes. This effect relies on microscopic flakes that refract light differently depending on the angle, a property that is difficult to reproduce without specialized equipment.

The microprinting has also been expanded. Day to day, in addition to the familiar “THE FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE” micro‑text along the collar of Franklin’s coat, the new series adds a repeating pattern of “USA 100” along the edges of the security thread. Under magnification, the letters are crisp and evenly spaced; any blurring or misalignment is a red flag.

Finally, the raised printing has been refined. The tactile strips on Franklin’s shoulder, the collar of his coat, and the border of the portrait are now slightly deeper and more pronounced, allowing a quick fingertip check even in low‑light conditions.

Together, these layers create a moving, multi‑sensory signature that is extremely costly to duplicate without access to the same high‑security substrates used by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Beyond the Ribbon – Additional Verification Tools

While the visual and tactile cues are the front line of detection, savvy handlers often employ supplementary tools:

• UV inspection – The security thread glows a fluorescent pink under a 365 nm blacklight. Counterfeit notes frequently use a dull gray or no glow at all.
• Magnetic testing – The thread contains a thin metallic strip that can be detected by a handheld magnetometer; genuine notes produce a distinct, localized magnetic response.
• Digital verification apps – Several banks and law‑enforcement agencies have released smartphone apps that analyze the pattern of the security thread and the microprint using the phone’s camera and AI algorithms. Though not foolproof, they provide an extra layer of confidence.

It’s worth noting that counterfeit pens remain useful as a first‑pass filter, but they only detect the presence of starch‑based paper. Sophisticated fakes now incorporate starch‑free substrates, meaning the pen can be bypassed. So naturally, the combination of pen testing followed by a visual/tactile inspection is the most reliable workflow.

Common Misconceptions – Clarifying the Narrative

Myth: “Franklin was a President.”
In reality, Benjamin Franklin never held the nation’s highest elected office. He served as a diplomat, Postmaster General, and President of the Continental Congress, and briefly as the governor of Pennsylvania, but his legacy rests on scientific achievement and nation‑building rather than the presidency.

Myth: “The $100 bill is the largest denomination ever printed.”
The United States has issued far higher denominations, including the $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 notes, all of which featured prominent figures such as Alexander Hamilton and President James Madison. The $100,000 gold certificate, bearing Woodrow Wilson, was an internal instrument used exclusively between Federal Reserve Banks and never entered general circulation. Those larger notes were retired in 1969, but they remain legal tender and are prized by collectors.