You’ve probably held one today. Or maybe you're just dreaming of holding a stack of them. The ben franklin dollar bill—technically the $100 Federal Reserve Note—is the most famous piece of paper in the world. It’s the "Benjamin." The "C-note."
But honestly, it’s a weird bill if you think about it.
Every other person on our paper money was a President. George Washington is on the single. Lincoln has the five. Even Alexander Hamilton, who wasn't a President, was the Secretary of the Treasury, so he at least worked in the building. Ben Franklin? He was just a guy with a kite and some very good ideas.
Actually, that’s not true. He was a lot more than that. But the reason he’s on our largest circulating bill isn't just about his face looking distinguished.
Why is Ben Franklin on the 100 dollar bill anyway?
People always ask: was he a President? No. Never. He was the "President" of Pennsylvania for a bit, but that’s not the same thing.
The U.S. Treasury chose Franklin for the $100 bill in 1914. Before that, the bill had all sorts of faces on it, including Admiral David Farragut and even Abraham Lincoln (who moved to the $5 later). When the Federal Reserve started printing the modern versions we recognize, they wanted people who represented the "American spirit."
Franklin was the ultimate choice. He was a printer. He literally printed money for the colonies. He understood that for a new country to survive, its money had to be trusted.
He’s basically the father of American paper currency. He even invented early anti-counterfeiting techniques using leaf prints, because no two leaves are exactly the same. Clever, right?
The bill that isn't really in America
Here is a wild stat for you. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, about 80% of all $100 bills are actually outside the United States.
Why? Because in countries with unstable governments or crashing currencies, the ben franklin dollar bill is the ultimate gold standard. It’s the "Mattress Money" of the entire planet. If a war breaks out or a bank fails in a distant country, people want Benjamins.
They don't want digital transfers. They want the paper.
The 2013 Redesign: More Than Just a Facelift
If you look at a bill from the 1980s and one from today, they look totally different. The old ones had a tiny Ben in a circle. The new ones? Ben is huge. He’s out of the frame. He looks like he’s about to walk off the paper.
The 2013 redesign was a massive deal. It was actually delayed for years because of printing "creases"—the government literally couldn't get the ink right.
How to tell if your Benjamin is real
Counterfeiters love the $100 bill. It’s the highest ROI for a criminal. Because of that, the ben franklin dollar bill has more tech in it than some early computers.
- The 3-D Security Ribbon: That blue stripe down the middle? It’s not printed on the paper. It’s woven through the paper. If you tilt the bill, you’ll see bells change into 100s. It’s mesmerizing.
- The Bell in the Inkwell: There’s a copper-colored inkwell next to Ben. Inside it is a green bell. When you move the bill, the bell disappears and reappears. It’s a "color-shifting" trick that’s incredibly hard to fake with a standard printer.
- The Watermark: Hold it up to the light. You should see a faint, ghostly Ben Franklin on the right side. If he’s not there, or if he looks like a cartoon, you’ve got a problem.
- The Texture: Run your fingernail across Ben’s shoulder. It should feel rough. That’s "intaglio" printing. It’s raised ink that gives the bill that "money feel."
Common Myths About the Ben Franklin Dollar Bill
Let’s clear some things up.
First, there is no such thing as a $1 bill with Ben Franklin on it. If someone tries to give you one, they are either handing you a novelty "souvenir" or a very bad fake. The $1 bill belongs to George.
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Second, Ben never actually said, "A penny saved is a penny earned." He wrote, "A penny saved is two pence clear" in Poor Richard’s Almanack. Close, but not quite.
Third, people think the $100 is the highest bill ever made. Nope. We used to have $500, $1,000, and even $100,000 bills (used for bank transfers). But in 1969, the government stopped circulating anything higher than the $100. They did this to make it harder for drug dealers and tax evaders to move huge amounts of cash in small suitcases.
It’s much harder to hide $1 million in $100s than it is in $10,000 bills.
Why the "Benjamin" Still Matters in 2026
We live in a world of Apple Pay and Bitcoin. So why are we still printing billions of these paper notes?
Because cash is privacy.
When you spend a ben franklin dollar bill, there’s no data trail. There’s no "processing fee" for the person taking it. It just works. Even when the power goes out or the internet crashes, Ben is still there, staring back at you with that slight, knowing smirk.
He was a man of science and a man of business. He’d probably love that his face is protected by 3D ribbons and color-shifting polymers.
Actionable steps for handling $100 bills:
- Check the Ribbon: Always tilt a $100 bill to see the blue 3D ribbon move. If the bells don't turn into 100s, don't take the bill.
- Feel the Ink: Use your thumb to feel the "raised" texture on Franklin's coat. Smooth paper is a huge red flag.
- Look for the Thread: Hold the bill to a light. You should see a vertical security thread that says "USA 100." If you have a UV light, that thread should glow pink.
- Exchange Old Notes: While old "small head" Benjamins are still legal tender, some shops (especially overseas) might refuse them because they lack modern security features. You can always take them to a bank to swap for the "New Blue" version.
The $100 bill isn't just money. It’s a masterpiece of engineering. Whether you’re saving them for a rainy day or spending them on something big, knowing what to look for makes you a lot harder to fool.