# Trivia Question about Paper Money
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 23, 2024, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001 "2024-02-23T20:56:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/1 "2024-02-23T20:56:48Z")
Of the seven denominations of U.S. Federal Reserve Notes in common use today ($1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100), how many different U.S. presidents are depicted?
Can you name them?
Hint # 1: This is a trick question.
Hint # 2: This is not the trick question you think it is,
---
### Author:  [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/2 "2024-02-23T21:05:36Z")
Five.
In order, Washington ($1), Jefferson ($2), Lincoln ($5), Jackson ($20), and Grant ($50). Hamilton ($10) and Franklin ($100) were never Presidents.
Tripler
I could use a lot more Dead non-Presidents.
---
### Author:  [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/3 "2024-02-23T21:06:46Z")
I guess six different presidents
Washington on front of $1
Jefferson on front and back of $2
John Adams on back of $2
Lincoln on front of $5, (also on the back as a statue if memory serves)
Jackson on front of $20
Grant on front of $50
Of course Franklin and Hamilton don’t count since they weren’t presidents
---
### Author:  [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/4 "2024-02-23T21:06:54Z")
I think you missed Adams on the $2.
[Edited to add: what the heck? I saw my post appear above bibliophage’s, and like half a minute later it jumped down a spot?]
---
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/5 "2024-02-23T21:08:55Z")
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, [Hamilton], Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant, [Benjamin Franklin]. So there’s five.
The back of the $2 bill has a painting of the Declaration of Independence being signed, which shows John Adams and Benjamin Harrison.
So I’m going to guess seven.
ETA: Ninja’d. I took too long typing.
---
### Author:  [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/6 "2024-02-23T21:10:30Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> which shows John Adams and Benjamin Harrison.
That’s a different Benjamin Harrison, great-grandfather of the president of the same name.
---
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/7 "2024-02-23T21:11:18Z")
OK, then. Six.
---
### Author:  [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/8 "2024-02-23T21:11:38Z")
Damn, I think I did!
Tripler
I shall not pass ‘Go’, nor shall I collect $200.
---
### Author:  [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/9 "2024-02-23T21:14:39Z")
$1: Obverse: Washington
$2: Obverse: Jefferson
\*Reverse: Jefferson again, Adams
$5: Obverse: Lincoln
\*Reverse: Lincoln again (statue)
$10: Obverse: Alexander Hamilton: (not a prez)
$20: Obverse: Jackson
$50: Obverse: Grant
$100: Obverse: Ben Franklin (not a prez)
\*Reverse: Washington (statue)
So for the seven notes there are five presidents depicted on the obverse, four on the reverse but three of those are duplicates so 6 different presidents between the five bills. Adams is the only one that appears only on the reverse.
Edit: I thought I was going to own you all with my numismatic knowledge, but I guess I forgot the caliber of brains here on the Dope.
Second Edit:
> **Summary**
>
> I appear to be the first person to remember that Washington is on the back of the $100 bill, as a statue in front of Independence Hall. Wh00T!
---
### Author:  [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/10 "2024-02-23T21:18:16Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> …The back of the $2 bill has a painting of the Declaration of Independence being signed … ,
Per Wikipedia, the painting actually depicts the presentation of the Declaration to Congress before it was signed: " The painting is sometimes incorrectly described as depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The painting shows the five-man drafting committee presenting their draft of the Declaration to the Congress, an event that took place on June 28, 1776, and not its signing, which took place mainly on August 2."
---
### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/11 "2024-02-23T22:08:49Z")
$2 bills are in common use?
---
### Author:  [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/12 "2024-02-23T22:24:44Z")
I use $2 bills all the time. The bank usually has plenty of them.
---
### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/13 "2024-02-23T22:42:50Z")
You are in the vast minority. You must be aware of that.
I haven’t run across a $2 bill other than specifically asking for one at the bank in years.
---
### Author:  [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/14 "2024-02-23T22:55:28Z")
I just got finished reading The Long Goodbye, in which Philip Marlowe is the recipient of a Madison. That’s the president for me.
---
### Author:  [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/15 "2024-02-23T22:58:30Z")
> [@needscoffee](#):
>
> $2 bills are in common use?
$3.0 billion of them in circulation as of 2022, so somewhat more rare than the $10 ($23.3 billion), but hardly non-existent. I doubt they are evenly distributed, so you probably see them more often where people use a lot of low-denomination cash. Benjamins are, of course, the most popular banknote, but $1’s are not that far behind.
> [@Jaycat.again](#):
>
> I just got finished reading The Long Goodbye, in which Philip Marlowe is the recipient of a Madison. That’s the president for me.
Anything $500 or over is legitimately rare, I have never run across one (I am not a private detective or high-stakes poker player, though), and the one time I tried to get some the bank teller wouldn’t give me any and said the directive was to remove them from circulation.
---
### Author:  [@Nyvaak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nyvaak)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/16 "2024-02-23T23:06:51Z")
I include $2 bills (among some others) whenever I send birthday cards to nieces or nephews. My late grandfather-in-law used to use them for day-to-day purchases like groceries.
---
### Author:  [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/17 "2024-02-23T23:15:12Z")
I collect $2 bills because they are lucky. Why are they lucky? Because they are rare, and you have to be “lucky” to run into one…
---
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/18 "2024-02-23T23:19:25Z")
Also, for every one you have, you have $2.
---
### Author:  [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/19 "2024-02-23T23:21:17Z")
Nah, the “lucky” bills are the ones with a star in the serial number.
---
### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2024, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001/20 "2024-02-23T23:22:55Z")
> [@DPRK](#):
>
> $3.0 billion of them in circulation as of 2022
I’m guessing $2,998,000 of that is sitting in banks, waiting for some aunt or uncle to withdraw to send in birthday cards.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-about-paper-money/998001.md?page=2)