# thousand dollar bill **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [November 22, 2002, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240 "2002-11-22T21:20:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mingum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mingum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mingum)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/1 "2002-11-22T21:20:32Z")
So how many of these large denomination bills are in circulation? * * * Link to relevant Staff Report: [Whose face is on the $1,000 bill?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/m1000.html) – CKDH ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/2 "2002-11-23T00:30:59Z")
There really aren’t any $1000 bills in circulation. They still exist. But they don’t circulate. The reason being that we coin dealers have been paying the public(and bank tellers) a premium over the face value since 1968(when they were withdrawn). In the period 1970-1995, we used to buy them for $1025-1100 and sell them for $1075-1250 or so. Within the last 5 years the premiums have changed, and now we pay $1100-1250 and sell for $1200-1400. All prices are for decent average condition. If you truly were asking _how many $1000 bill still exist?_ , I’ll try to find you an answer. The answer is probably in the thousands. ---
**Author:** ![mingum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mingum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mingum)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/3 "2002-11-23T01:58:51Z")
That is extremely interesting. I would like to know how many exist total, and if they don’t circulate then do only collectors have them? Also, what about the $5,000 and $10,000 bills? ---
**Author:** ![newman5608](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d6d6ee/32.png) [@newman5608](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newman5608)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/4 "2002-11-23T04:20:55Z")
I know they’re all out of circulation now, but I remember an exhibit of big bills that included, if I recall correctly, a $100,000 bill with the portrait of Grant. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/5 "2002-11-23T06:55:41Z")
$5000 and $10000 bills are WAY scarcer than $1000’s. To give you an idea of scarcity, while the $1000 sells for a small increase over its face value, a $5000 is worth $20, 000. I don’t have any reference books at home tonight. If I get ambitious tomorrow at work, and if I remember, I’ll try to get you a statistic about how many conceivably might still be outstanding. Yes, basically the existing ones are in the hands of dealers and collectors. ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/6 "2002-11-23T08:27:29Z")
Woodrow Wilson is on the $100k note. It is a federal reserve note, and does not circulate. No private collector has one legally. Grant is on the $50. ---
**Author:** ![newman5608](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d6d6ee/32.png) [@newman5608](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newman5608)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/7 "2002-11-23T15:22:17Z")
My bad. It has been 40 years since I saw that exhibit, and I haven’t had a fifty since then! I like Woodrow better anyway. But it brings up another interesting question: why do these federal reserve notes even exist anymore? Surely no fund transfers at that level are done with hard currency anymore. And no. _I’m_ Spartacus. Thanks, Jeff ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/8 "2002-11-23T21:41:02Z")
I don’t think they have printed the 100k notes since the 30s. Funds are all wired nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/9 "2002-11-23T23:56:53Z")
The largest denomination that you, the public, could have EVER gotten from a bank was a $10,000. note. And 99% of the public didn’t have the money to get one back then. The $100,000 note was only legal in bank-to-bank transactions. I was too busy to look up the potential surviving amount of $1000 bill still extant. I’ll try again Monday. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2002, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/10 "2002-11-24T13:57:02Z")
Indeed, there was only one printing of the $100,000 notes, ever, from December 18, 1934 through January 9, 1935. And they were not Federal Reserve Notes, but Gold Certificates; they were _used_ by the Federal Reserve, not _issued._ ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2002, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/11 "2002-11-24T16:27:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by newman5608 \* > **My bad. It has been 40 years since I saw that exhibit, and I haven’t had a fifty since then! I like Woodrow better anyway.** [hijack]Why on Earth would anyone prefer a freewheeling SOB like Woodrow Wilson to Grant. I admit that Grant was an incompetent president, but I generally prefer the incompetent to the downright evil.[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2002, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/12 "2002-11-25T14:56:31Z")
\<\< I admit that Grant was an incompetent … \>\> Hey, Grant wasn’t that incompetent, he gave some mighty fine performances, like in NORTH BY NORTHWEST or BRINGING UP BABY, and … ---
**Author:** ![sublemon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@sublemon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sublemon)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/13 "2002-11-26T18:42:19Z")
yeah, woodrow wilson sure was evil. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/14 "2002-11-26T19:12:13Z")
The Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas has somebody’s $40 million collection of rare coins and currency on display, including a $100,000 bill. If you don’t gamble and don’t like shows featuring topless JV cheerleader types, it’s one of the more interesting sights in Sin City. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2002, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/15 "2002-11-29T11:09:42Z")
Grant had the better beard. QED. There’s usually a few $1000 bills for auction on Ebay, if you want one. I’ve never looked for higher denominations (well, except for right now), but there don’t seem to be any at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/16 "2002-12-02T20:11:01Z")
“JV”? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/17 "2002-12-03T00:54:16Z")
Junior Varsity. An athletic team consiting of students in the lower two years of American High School (age 14-16). JV Cheerleaders are very young girls. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousand-dollar-bill/138240/18 "2002-12-06T16:08:34Z")
Thanks!