You’re holding a crisp hundred. You see that balding guy with the slight smirk and the spectacles. It’s a classic image, really. But have you ever actually stopped to think about what dollar is Benjamin Franklin on and why he’s there in the first place?
It’s the $100 bill. Obviously.
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But it’s also kind of weird when you think about it. Walk through the rest of your wallet. You’ve got George Washington on the single. Abraham Lincoln on the five. Alexander Hamilton—thanks to a certain Broadway musical—is the face of the ten. Then there’s Jackson on the twenty and Grant on the fifty. What do they all have in common? They were Presidents.
Except for Ben. And Hamilton, sure, but Ben is the real outlier here. He’s the only one on the big-boy bills who never held the highest office in the land.
The Face of the C-Note
Benjamin Franklin has been the face of the $100 bill since 1929. Before that, things were a bit of a mess. Portraits on money used to change more often than some people change their socks. We had Salmon P. Chase—the guy who basically invented the modern Treasury—on the hundred for a while. We even had Thomas Hart Benton and David Farragut.
But in 1929, the Treasury Department decided to standardize everything. They shrunk the size of the bills and picked a permanent cast of characters. Franklin made the cut for the highest denomination in general circulation.
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Why? Because he was basically the ultimate American polymath. He wasn't just a "Founding Father" in that vague, textbook way. The guy was a scientist, an inventor, a diplomat, and a writer. Honestly, his resume makes everyone else on our currency look a little lazy.
Why Benjamin Franklin Isn't Just Another President
It’s a common mistake. People see a face on money and assume "President." But Franklin never wanted the job, and frankly, he was probably too busy inventing bifocals and the lightning rod to deal with the headache of the White House.
The U.S. Currency Education Program points out that Franklin’s presence on the $100 bill represents his role as a "statesman and a diplomat." He was the guy who convinced France to help us out during the Revolutionary War. Without French money and ships, we’d probably still be drinking tea and talking about the King.
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There's also his history with money itself. Long before the U.S. Mint was a thing, Franklin was printing colonial currency in Philadelphia. He was obsessed with anti-counterfeiting. He used to use actual leaves to create "nature prints" on bills because the vein patterns were too complex for scammers to copy. It’s sort of poetic that the guy who pioneered money security is now protected by the most advanced security features in history.
Spotting a Real Benjie: Features to Watch
If you’re lucky enough to have a "Benjamin" in your pocket, take a second to look at it. The modern $100 bill, redesigned most recently in 2013, is a marvel of engineering.
- The 3D Security Ribbon: That blue strip down the middle isn't just printed on. It's woven into the paper. If you tilt the bill, you’ll see little bells and "100s" moving. They move side-to-side if you tilt vertically, and up-and-down if you tilt horizontally. It’s trippy.
- The Bell in the Inkwell: There’s a copper-colored inkwell next to Ben. Inside it is a bell. When you tilt the note, the bell changes from copper to green, making it seem like it’s appearing and disappearing.
- The Watermark: Hold it up to the light. You should see a faint Ben Franklin staring back at you from the blank space on the right. If it’s not there, or if it looks like a cartoon, you’ve got a problem.
- The Texture: Rub your finger over Franklin’s shoulder. It should feel rough. That’s "intaglio" printing. It’s really hard for a standard home printer to mimic that raised-ink feel.
The 2026 Context: Will Ben Ever Be Replaced?
In the world of currency, things move slowly. You’ve probably heard the rumors about the $20 bill changing to feature Harriet Tubman. That’s been a "coming soon" project for years. But when it comes to the hundred, Ben seems safe for now.
According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s current schedule, a redesign of the $100 isn't even on the books until at least 2034. They’re focusing on the smaller bills first—the $10 is up next in 2026, followed by the $50 and the $20. The hundred is the most targeted bill for counterfeiters overseas, so they don't mess with the design unless they have a massive technological leap to implement.
Actionable Tips for Handling Hundreds
If you're dealing with cash, especially high-value bills, you need to be smart.
- Don't rely on those yellow markers. The "counterfeit detector" pens only check the paper's chemical composition. Pro counterfeiters often "bleach" a $1 or $5 bill and print a $100 on top of it. The pen will say it’s real paper, but the watermark will still be George Washington. Always check the watermark.
- Look for the "FW". If you see a small "FW" in the top left corner, it means the bill was printed in Fort Worth, Texas. If it's not there, it came from Washington, D.C. Neither is "better," but it’s a fun detail to check.
- Feel the paper. Genuine U.S. currency isn't actually paper. It's a blend of 75% cotton and 25% linen. It should feel like fabric, not a flyer you’d find on a windshield.
The next time someone asks "what dollar is Benjamin Franklin on," you can do more than just say the number. You can tell them about the guy who literally printed the first American dollars, the diplomat who saved the country, and why his face is tucked behind a high-tech blue ribbon. Ben’s been on the hundred for nearly a century, and he’s not going anywhere soon.