# Really big money

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-big-money/63657>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 28, 2001, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-big-money/63657 "2001-04-28T18:21:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-big-money/63657/1 "2001-04-28T18:21:20Z")

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According to [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/m1000.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/m1000.html) , there is a $1,000 bill (with the face of Salmon P. Chase on it). But somewhere, I think it was the Guinness Book Of Records, I read that, for purpose of inter-bank transactions, even $1,000,000 bills have been printed, some dozens of which are still circulating (there is a Mark Twain tale about a note like this, btw). Is this true? Does anyone know more about it?

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**Author:** ![scratch1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-big-money/63657/2 "2001-04-28T18:27:24Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Schnitte \*  
> **According to [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/m1000.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/m1000.html) , there is a $1,000 bill (with the face of Salmon P. Chase on it).**

I think you missed a zero, there.

But no, ten thousand – for bank transactions like you described – is the highest-ever denomination of U.S. currency.

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**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-big-money/63657/3 "2001-04-28T18:36:56Z")

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The largest denomination was the $100,000 with a portrait of Wilson. From the Treasury Dept. FAQ:

[http://www.treasury.gov/opc/opc0034.html#quest15](http://www.treasury.gov/opc/opc0034.html#quest15)

None of them ever circulated outside Federal Reserve banks. $10,000 was the largest bill in open circulation.

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**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-big-money/63657/4 "2001-04-28T18:51:25Z")

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I got curious enough to dig up a picture:

[http://www.drbanks.com/currency/notes/note.php3?note=2413](http://www.drbanks.com/currency/notes/note.php3?note=2413)

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**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-big-money/63657/5 "2001-04-28T20:09:54Z")

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Of course, for REALLY big money, you have to go to the Island of [Yap](http://www.visit-palau.com/gal/stonemo.jpg) in the Pacific Ocean 😃