United States one hundred-thousand-dollar bill
Former denomination of United States currency / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The United States one hundred-thousand-dollar bill (US$100,000) is a former denomination of United States currency, issued for two years from 1934 to 1935 as designated for Federal Reserve use. The bill never circulated publicly, rather having been used as a large denomination note for gold transactions between Federal Reserve Banks.[2][3] Featuring President Woodrow Wilson, the $100,000 bill was initiated by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing under the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the hoarding of gold during the Great Depression, believed to be slowing economic regrowth. Executive Order 6102, signed by President Roosevelt, was ratified by the United States Congress in 1934. Executive Order 6102 prohibited the hoarding of gold certificates, accompanied also by bullion and coins.[4]
(United States) | |
---|---|
Value | $100,000 |
Width | 157 mm |
Height | 66 mm |
Years of printing | 1934–1935 (commissioned in 1933) |
Estimated value | $2,296,932 (1934 to 2023), $2,246,635 (1935 to 2023)[1] |
Obverse | |
Design | A vignette portrait of Woodrow Wilson |
Design date | 1934 |
Reverse | |
Design | 100,000 centered in front of a US dollar sign, golden rays radiating out of the center, orange in color. |
Design date | 1934 |
Unlike the other denominations of US dollars, the $100,000 bill was never issued as a Federal Reserve Note (aka greenback). It was only issued in the form of a gold certificate.
Approximately 42,000 of the $100,000 bills were printed. Many of the $100,000 bills were destroyed in the years following their commission, with the remaining few in possession of the United States federal government.[5] The $100,000 bill, in possession aside from the federal government, is deemed illegal on account of its large denomination and the regulations declared at its signing.[2][3][6] The bill, outside of the federal government, may only be used for educational purposes, particularly in museums for public viewing.[2] The Smithsonian Institution along with the Federal Reserve System are known to have one hundred-thousand-dollar bills in their ownership.[2]