Welcome to our top 10 old American bills and currencies – a whirlwind tour through the nation’s most curious, valuable, and downright strange pieces of money. From experimental metal cents to high‑value notes that never saw everyday circulation, each entry tells a tale of economics, politics, and a dash of serendipity that helped shape the United States’ financial story.
10 Silver Certificates
Silver certificates were minted in the United States from 1878 until 1964, serving as paper money that could be swapped for an equivalent amount of silver coins. While they functioned just like ordinary banknotes, the fine print proudly declared, “one dollar in silver payable to the bearer on demand.” Between June 1967 and June 1968, owners could exchange them for silver bullion, after which they became redeemable for standard banknotes.
Two particular $1 silver certificates – issued in 1886 and 1891 – hold a special place in numismatic lore because they were the first United States paper money to feature a woman’s portrait: Martha Washington, the nation’s inaugural First Lady. Collectors prize these notes, and an immaculate 1891 example can fetch around $1,500 on the market.
9 Continental Currency
The Continental Currency debuted on June 22, 1775, as the fledgling colonies rallied to fund the Revolutionary War. Issued by the Continental Congress – the highest governing body of the era – the paper money carried no backing beyond a promise of future tax revenue, leading to a rapid loss of public confidence and spiraling inflation.
Even George Washington lamented that a wagonload of Continental Currency couldn’t purchase a wagonload of supplies. Adding insult to injury, the British flooded the market with counterfeit notes, further eroding trust. The phrase “not worth a Continental” still echoes today, reflecting the currency’s notorious worthlessness.
By May 1781, the currency collapsed, saddling the nascent United States with massive war debt. This failure underscored the need for a stronger central government and delayed the nation’s own issuance of paper money until the Civil War era.
8 $100,000
In the throes of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered every American to surrender gold coins, bullion, and certificates in 1933. With citizens hoarding gold and paper money losing its luster, the government needed a new high‑value instrument for large‑scale transactions.
The answer was a striking $100,000 bill, emblazoned with the portrait of Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president. Though visually impressive, the note was never intended for everyday commerce; it served exclusively as a settlement instrument among Federal Reserve banks.
This extraordinary denomination remains the highest single‑value bill ever printed in the United States, a testament to the nation’s monetary ingenuity during crisis.
7 Demand Notes
When the Civil War erupted in 1861, the federal government faced a depleted treasury and rampant inflation. Until then, the United States relied on gold and silver for transactions, while over 8,000 private banks issued their own paper notes.
Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase proposed a unified national paper currency, leading to the creation of Demand Notes – the first genuine government‑issued paper money. Ten million dollars’ worth were printed, redeemable for gold or silver, but they never gained traction because citizens hoarded precious metals.
In 1862, Congress authorized a new, non‑redeemable paper currency, laying the groundwork for today’s U.S. dollar. Demand Notes faded as this fresh money entered circulation, though their early volatility mirrored the Union’s military fortunes.
6 Fractional Currency
During the Civil War, Americans hoarded valuable coins, prompting the Treasury to issue fractional currency – paper notes ranging from one to fifty cents. The public despised these “shinplasters” because of the ultra‑thin paper, likening them to the plaster casts doctors used for broken limbs.
In 1865, Congress ordered a redesign of the three‑cent note, shifting from the original silver‑coin format to a nickel‑copper alloy. Congressman John Kasson, previously opposed to nickel in coinage, approved the metal as a lesser evil compared to the unpopular shinplaster.
The three‑cent nickel, three‑cent silver, and three‑cent fractional notes coexisted until the silver version vanished in 1873. The fractional notes were finally withdrawn in February 1876, while the three‑cent nickel lingered until 1889, when a reduction in postage rates led to its melting and recasting as the five‑cent nickel.
5 $1000
The $1,000 bill ranks among the rarest legal tenders in U.S. history. Though last printed in 1946, banks still accept them, forwarding any deposits to the Federal Reserve to keep them out of circulation.
The first $1,000 notes appeared during the Civil War, even though the Continental Currency had previously issued a $1,000 bill. The Union used these high‑value notes to buy ammunition and other wartime necessities.
After the war, the $1,000 bill became a tool for large‑scale transactions like interbank transfers and real‑estate deals. President Richard Nixon ordered a recall of all high‑denomination bills in 1969, fearing their use in money‑laundering schemes. Their scarcity today makes them prized collector items, often trading above face value.
4 $10,000
The $10,000 bill holds the distinction of being the highest legal tender ever printed for routine use in the United States. Unlike the $100,000 note, it was meant for everyday high‑value transactions, though it rarely appeared in public hands.
Portraiture on the bill showcases Salmon P. Chase, Lincoln’s Secretary of the Treasury, who championed a single, federally controlled paper currency. Chase’s influence earned him a place on this monumental denomination.
Only a few hundred of these notes survive today, making them coveted by collectors. A pristine example can command up to $140,000, while a well‑worn specimen might still fetch $30,000.
3 Double Eagle
The Double Eagle, a $20 gold coin minted from 1907 to 1932, vanished from circulation in 1933 when President Franklin Roosevelt prohibited private ownership of gold. Although 445,300 coins were struck after that date, they were never released and were melted into bullion by 1937.
Yet a handful of the 1933 Double Eagles escaped destruction. Legend says a mint cashier named George McCann swapped twenty post‑1933 coins for earlier versions, slipping them past inspectors.
Jeweler Israel Swift later possessed nineteen of these elusive coins, selling nine to private collectors. One found its way to King Farouk of Egypt, resurfaced after his deposition in 1952, only to disappear again. Decades later, a sting operation captured another in the hands of British dealer Stephen Fenton. After a protracted legal battle, the coin was stored at the World Trade Center, then moved to Fort Knox just before the 9/11 attacks. One such Double Eagle fetched a record $7,590,000, buyer’s premium included, plus its nominal $20 face value.
2 Treasury Notes
Also known as Coin Notes, Treasury Notes were issued in 1890 and 1891 in denominations ranging from $1 to $1,000. These notes emerged after the Legal Tender Act of July 14, 1890, which authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to print paper money to settle payments for silver bullion purchased by the government.
Each Treasury Note could be redeemed for either gold or silver coins, depending on the Treasury Secretary’s preference. Though a $500 version was planned, it never entered production beyond sample copies.
Collectors distinguish the 1890 series by its deep green reverse, while the 1891 series features a simpler green‑and‑white design. The 1890 notes are rarer and thus command higher prices in the numismatic market.
1 1974 Aluminum Cent
When copper prices spiked in 1973, the United States Mint explored cheaper alternatives and settled on aluminum. In 1974, raw aluminum alloy traveled from the Philadelphia Mint to Denver for shaping, then back to Philadelphia for stamping.
Although the Denver facility wasn’t authorized to produce any coins, an assistant superintendent seized the opportunity to strike a single aluminum cent, marked with a “D” to indicate Denver origin.
Philadelphia later minted roughly 1.5 million aluminum cents, distributing a handful to members of Congress as samples. However, Congress balked at authorizing the new metal, citing concerns from the vending‑machine industry that aluminum would jam their equipment.
Most of the experimental coins were melted down, but at least fifteen remain unaccounted for, residing with legislators who never returned their samples. The rogue “D” cent resurfaced when its creator’s son, Harry Edmond Lawrence, handed it back to the Mint after his father’s death.