# Why do people so rarely have $10 bills??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 7, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-so-rarely-have-10-bills/466879 "2008-10-07T18:25:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-so-rarely-have-10-bills/466879/21 "2008-10-08T00:15:43Z")
$10 notes are still very common here in Australia; which is interesting since the ATMs only seem to spit out $20s and $50s. I noticed this in the US when I was last there, too… I’d pay for something worth $3.50 with a $20 note (the smallest in my wallet) and instead of getting a $10, a $5, a $1, and two quarters as change, I’d get three $5 notes, a $1 note, and two quarters back as change. It’s an interesting topic, at any rate! ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-so-rarely-have-10-bills/466879/22 "2008-10-08T00:16:17Z")
Where are these ATMs that “give out” money? All of the ones I know of insist that I have money on deposit before they’ll let me withdraw some of it out! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-so-rarely-have-10-bills/466879/23 "2008-10-08T00:50:59Z")
This question has been asked before (now where’s that search…) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-so-rarely-have-10-bills/466879/24 "2008-10-08T09:47:00Z")
I work in a retail-type place (not a bar) and I see $10 bills all the time. I also get tips along with money that I don’t turn in until the end of my shift. When possible, I keep any tens I get. I like the ten, especially that neat peach color. Right now I have 7 tens in my wallet, more than any other denomination. One denomination that’s changed in frequency is the $50. Recently I saw one of the old fifties, the one with the small picture of Grant in the oval. I almost didn’t recognize it. That old one circulated so little that hardly anyone ever got one. With inflation, the new one is becoming quite a common note, although no where near as common as the 10. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-so-rarely-have-10-bills/466879/25 "2008-10-08T13:18:29Z")
I hold a bunch of $10 bills. I dislike handling money (most of my transactions are via credit card), but I still need to hold cash in the wallet for emergencies. I prefer clean, crisp, uncirculated bills, so I try to walk around without grubby used bills or coins. When I go to the bank to request clean, crisp, uncirculated bills, the $10s are the best choice precisely because they don’t get used much. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-so-rarely-have-10-bills/466879/26 "2008-10-08T22:12:27Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#): > > I prefer clean, crisp, uncirculated bills, so I try to walk around without grubby used bills or coins.. Do you get your butler to iron your paper money for you in the morning as well? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-so-rarely-have-10-bills/466879.md?page=1)