You find it in the back of a drawer. Maybe tucked inside a birthday card from a relative who prefers "real" gifts over Venmo. It’s smaller, the portrait of Ben Franklin looks slightly off-center compared to what you’re used to, and it lacks that bright blue 3D ribbon that wiggles when you tilt it. It’s an older 100 dollar bill, and your first instinct might be a flicker of panic. Is it fake? Is it expired? Can you even buy groceries with it anymore?
Calm down. It's fine.
Basically, every single piece of United States currency issued since 1861 is still legal tender at its full face value. That is a massive span of time. While other countries "demonetize" their old paper—meaning they give you a deadline to swap it at a bank before it becomes worthless scrap—the U.S. Federal Reserve just doesn't do that. If you found a crate of 1920s hundreds, you could technically walk into a Target and buy a TV, though the cashier would probably have a minor existential crisis and call three managers.
The real issue isn't legality; it's trust. People are suspicious of what they don't recognize.
Why the Older 100 Dollar Bill Looks So Different
If you grew up with the "big head" bills or the newest "blue ribbon" notes, the pre-1996 series looks like play money. It's the "Small Portrait" era. Benjamin Franklin sits inside a tight oval. There is a lot of empty white space. To a modern eye trained to look for holographic strips and color-shifting ink, these older notes feel flimsy and simplistic.
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But they weren't simple for their time.
The U.S. Treasury spent decades relying on fine-line engraving and specialized paper—a blend of 75% cotton and 25% linen with tiny red and blue silk fibers embedded in the mix. Before 1990, these bills didn't even have security threads or microprinting. They relied entirely on the difficulty of replicating that specific "feel" and the intricacy of the intaglio printing process. If you run your fingernail over Ben’s coat on a genuine older 100 dollar bill, you’ll feel those ridges. It’s a tactile experience that digital printers still struggle to perfectly mimic without making the ink look "muddy."
Then 1990 happened. The Treasury realized that high-end photocopiers were becoming a problem. They added a polyester security thread and "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" microprinted around the portrait. If you have a bill from 1990 to 1996, hold it up to a light. You should see that thin vertical line. It doesn't glow under UV light like the modern ones do, but it's there.
The 1996 Redesign: The "Big Head" Transition
In 1996, the money changed forever. This was the Series 1996 redesign, often called the "New Currency." This is the version most people think of when they talk about an older 100 dollar bill that still feels somewhat modern.
They made Ben Franklin's head bigger. They moved him slightly to the left. Why? To make room for a watermark on the right side. They also added color-shifting ink on the bottom right "100." If you tilt it, the color should shift from green to black.
Wait. Honestly, check your wallet. If you have one of these 1996-2013 bills, try to see the color shift. If it stays green no matter how you angle it, you might be holding a counterfeit. This era was the "sweet spot" for forgers, specifically the infamous "Supernote" suspected to be produced by North Korea. These fakes were so good they even fooled some high-end counting machines because they used similar paper and high-quality plates.
Can You Actually Spend It Today?
Yes. But you might not want to.
If you take a 1950 series 100 dollar bill to a local gas station at 2:00 AM, the teenager behind the counter is going to stare at it like it’s a relic from a lost civilization. They will swipe that little amber counterfeit detector pen across it.
Here is a pro-tip: those pens are kinda useless on very old bills. Those pens react to starch. Modern printer paper has starch; US currency paper does not. However, if an older bill has been through the wash with heavy detergent or stored in a way that it absorbed chemicals, the pen might give a "false positive" black mark.
Most big banks—Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America—will take them without a second thought. They see them all the time. They’ll just pull them out of circulation and send them back to the Fed to be shredded and replaced with the new NexGen "blue" bills.
The Collector's Angle
Before you spend that older 100 dollar bill on a boring utility bill, look at it. Really look at it.
Is it a "Star Note"? Look at the serial number. If there is a little star symbol ($\star$) at the end instead of a letter, it means it’s a replacement note. These are printed when the original sheet was damaged. Collectors love these. Depending on the year and condition, a 100 dollar star note could be worth $120, $150, or even more.
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What about the serial number itself?
- Low serial numbers: Anything under 00001000.
- Radars: Numbers that read the same forward and backward (e.g., 12344321).
- Repeaters: 45454545.
Even a common 1960s or 1970s hundred in "uncirculated" condition—meaning it’s crisp, has sharp corners, and looks like it was printed yesterday—can fetch a premium. If it’s wrinkled and smells like an attic, it’s probably just worth a hundred bucks. But if it’s "Choice Crisp Uncirculated," a collector might pay a 20% premium just to have it in their stack.
Dealing with International Problems
If you are traveling, leave the older bills at home. This is where things get tricky.
In places like Cambodia, Vietnam, or even parts of Europe and the Middle East, money changers are incredibly picky. They often refuse any U.S. currency older than the 2013 "blue" series. Sometimes they won't even take a bill if it has a tiny 1mm tear or a stray ink mark.
Why? Because they don't have easy access to U.S. Federal Reserve banks. If they take a fake, they are stuck with it. They prefer the newest bills because the security features—like the 3D security ribbon—are nearly impossible to fake accurately. If you try to swap an older 100 dollar bill at a currency exchange in Tokyo, they might politely decline or offer you a terrible exchange rate. Stick to the modern "Blue Bennies" for international travel.
The Counterfeit Scare: Series 2006A and 2009
There was a period where the government actually delayed the release of the newest bills because of printing errors. This created a bit of a vacuum where older designs stayed in circulation longer than planned.
If you have a Series 2006A bill, be aware that this specific series was heavily targeted by counterfeiters. If you're nervous, do the "light test."
- Hold the bill to a bright light.
- Look for the watermark of Benjamin Franklin on the right side. It should look like a face, not a cartoonish sketch.
- Look for the security thread. It should say "USA 100" repeatedly.
- Feel the paper. It should feel "dead"—not snappy or glossy like magazine paper.
How to Handle an Older Bill You're Worried About
Maybe you sold a car on Craigslist and the guy paid you in 1980s hundreds. Now you're sitting there wondering if you just got scammed.
Don't go to the police first. If they’re real, you’ve just wasted everyone's time. If they’re fake, they’ll confiscate them and you’re out the money. Instead, go to a bank where you have an account. Tell the teller, "Hey, these are older bills, I just want to make sure they're good to deposit."
Tellers have seen thousands of bills. They can tell by the "snap" of the paper and the way the ink sits on the surface. If the bank accepts the deposit, you’re in the clear. The Fed will eventually take that older 100 dollar bill out of the ecosystem, and you'll have 100 digital dollars in your account.
Common Misconceptions
People think the "Small Head" bills are worth a fortune. Usually, they aren't. Millions of them were printed. Unless it’s from the 1920s or 1930s (Gold Certificates or Silver Certificates), it’s likely just worth its face value.
Another myth is that "Red Seal" or "Blue Seal" bills are illegal. Nope. Red seals are United States Notes, and blue seals are Silver Certificates. They are completely legal to own and spend. In fact, if you spend a Red Seal 100 dollar bill at a grocery store, you are basically handing the cashier a tip, because that bill is almost certainly worth more to a collector than the groceries you're buying.
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Summary of Actionable Steps
If you're currently holding an older 100 dollar bill, here is exactly what you should do to maximize its value and avoid headaches.
- Inspect the Condition: If the bill is "bank fresh" (no folds, no stains, sharp corners), do not spend it. Put it in a plastic sleeve. Check eBay "Sold" listings for that specific year and series to see if it’s trading for a premium.
- Check the Serial Number: Look for "Star" symbols or cool patterns. A serial number like 00000042 is worth thousands of dollars, regardless of the bill's age.
- Verify Authenticity: Use the "light test" for anything 1990 or newer. For bills older than 1990, look for the red and blue fibers in the paper. If you can pick them out with a needle, they’re real (they’re silk, not printed on).
- Spend Domestically, Not Internationally: Use these bills at your local bank or a large retail chain. Avoid using them at small "mom and pop" shops where the owner might be overly cautious or overseas where they might be rejected entirely.
- Don't Clean It: If you think you have a rare old bill, never, ever try to "clean" or "iron" it. Collectors want original paper texture. Washing a bill destroys its numismatic value instantly.
The U.S. dollar is the world's reserve currency specifically because of this "forever" policy. That older 100 dollar bill represents a promise by the U.S. government that doesn't expire. Whether it's from 1950 or 2010, a hundred is a hundred—unless a collector decides it's worth even more.