Dear Straight Dope: I hear that there is such a monetary note as the U.S. $1,000 bill. Whose face is on it? SMILE2BME
SDStaff Div replies:
Not that you’re likely to see one (banks like to make electronic transfers these days, so real bills are rare or possibly even not even in circulation now), but here’s the list for the REALLY big bills:
$500 William McKinley
$1,000 Grover Cleveland
$5,000 James Madison
$10,000 Salmon P. Chase
According to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (which provided the chart with this information), the back of each of these bills has ‘ornate denomination,” which I assume is the fancy crosshatching and whatnot that keeps engravers working day and night on those U.S. Mint printing presses.
Who’s Salmon P. Chase, you ask? U. S. Supreme Court Justice, 1864-73. Guess it goes to show, you can never tell who’s collectible.
SDStaff Div, Straight Dope Science Advisory Board
Send questions to Cecil via cecil@straightdope.com.
STAFF REPORTS ARE WRITTEN BY THE STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD, CECIL'S ONLINE AUXILIARY. THOUGH THE SDSAB DOES ITS BEST, THESE COLUMNS ARE EDITED BY ED ZOTTI, NOT CECIL, SO ACCURACYWISE YOU'D BETTER KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED.