Why no $500 bills?

Or even a $1000 bill?.. It seems there are some expenses that could use larger bills like these and it could even help with general conservation and organization.

Moreover, who would be on it? My vote would be for Kennedy

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From there:

According to Wikipedia:

Circulation of high-denomination bills was halted in 1969 by executive order of President Richard Nixon, in an effort to combat organized crime.

Wiki doesn’t cite the exact E.O. that did this, but I’m sure a Google search will turn one up for you.

UPDATE: Awww, crap. Everyone is too fast!

BTW, why can’t we just put a header on the SDMB, “Before you ask anything, Google and Wikipedia are your friends?”

Examples being? In this day and age of credit cards, debit cards, and electronic transfers, the only expenses I could see that could actually utilize larger bills are those that typically require cashiers-checks. But if you’re going to have to go to the bank anyway to get your $10,000 bill (why on earth would you keep it in your wallet?) , why not simply get a cashiers check written?

My guess is that most people in practice rarely use anything larger than a $20 bill, and they use them because that’s what you get out of ATMs. Anything larger is cheque, credit card, electronic transaction or cashier’s cheque.

The question’s been answered. But I’d like to see both Kennedy and Truman get their mugs on bills or coins.

Kennedy is on a coin.

Shouldn’t inflation have an effect on these numbers, though? According to http://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/,

In 2008, $100.00 from 1969 is worth:

$587.14 using the Consumer Price Index
$468.10 using the GDP deflator using value of consumer bundle
$606.31 using the unskilled wage
$964.40 using the nominal GDP per capita
$1,448.77 using the relative share of GDP

In other words, by most measures, we really ought to have a $500 bill to be equivalent to the 1969 $100 bill. I realize that the existence of EFT and credit cards has changed the picture somewhat, but I do think part of the answer is “any change is the current systems of currency denominations, from ditching the penny to issuing a $500 bill, will be perceived as weakness or instability and should be avoided.”

Canada also stopped circulating its $1000 banknotes in 2000 for much the same reason. (The $500 bill hadn’t been issued since 1935.) You can still get €500 banknotes, though, if you really want something to light your cigars with. I remember hearing that the €500 note is the highest-valued banknote in circulation today, under current exchange rates, though I’d be interested to hear either confirmation or refutation of this statement.

What do other advanced industrial economies have as their largest bank note?

Euro Zone: €500 (though the Wiki article Euro - Wikipedia says €200, €500 are rarely used). That’s about $700, or $140 for the €100 bill.

England (the rest of the United Kingdom is different): £50, which is about $80.

Canada: $100, worth about $90 south of the border.

Australia: $100, worth about $80 on the other side of the Pacific.

Japan: ¥10000, worth about $100

So, apart from the rarely circulating €200 and €500 notes, the US is pretty much in line with comparable countries.

Kennedy? I think Teddy Roosevelt is more overdue than anyone for immortalization on currency. The closest he’s ever come is being part of the Mount Rushmore image on the back of the South Dakota quarter.

And Truman doesn’t even have that, though he’s worthy as well.

(and yes, I know that over the next several years, he as well as all other presidents will be on the dollar coin.)

Because neither Google nor Wikipedia provide good (and ill) natured banter back and forth, side-discussions, arguments about the finer points elicited by the early posts, bonhomie among like-minded seekers for knowledge, or the chance for posters to show off how bright they are.

Singapore has a 10000 Singapore Dollar banknote:

That seems to be about $7000 US.

When was the last time anyone here actually had a use for even the $100 or $50?

Most people who could answer that in the affirmative won’t.

Last year.

In Las Vegas, where the $500 would be handy.

I use 100s all the time. 50s only when I get them in change. Change is good. And why wouldn’t people admit they use 100s? Back in the 60s my parents used to use 20s all the time. The value of the dollar has eroded at least 5 to 1.

Those are useful when you’re heading overseas, and might not be able to get to an ATM right away, or if you’re not sure you’re going to be able to find an ATM that will take your card at all. I always take a couple of $100s when I travel, and convert them pretty soon after arrival. The U.S. C-note is one of the most recognized and widely-accepted banknotes in the world.

There is a CHF (Swiss Franc) 1000 note in circulation. This is about $940 at today’s rate.