Money is weird. We carry it, we stress over it, and we spend it without thinking about the face staring back at us. But if you’re holding a hundred-dollar bill, you’re looking at a man who was never a president. The US dollar Benjamin Franklin is probably the most recognized piece of paper on the planet. It’s the "C-note." The "Benjamin." It’s the international gold standard for "I’ve made it."
Why him, though?
George Washington got the single. Lincoln got the five. Even Alexander Hamilton—who at least ran the Treasury—settled for the ten. Franklin sits on the biggest regular-circulation bill in the United States. He wasn't a career politician in the way we think of them today. He was a scientist who flew kites in thunderstorms, a writer who used pseudonyms to troll his rivals, and a diplomat who charmed the French. Honestly, he’s on the bill because he basically invented the American identity.
The $100 Bill: More Than Just a Pretty Face
The $100 bill is a workhorse. According to Federal Reserve data, there are actually more $100 bills in circulation right now than $1 bills. That sounds fake, right? You’d think the singles would be everywhere. But the US dollar Benjamin Franklin is the world’s preferred "store of value." When a foreign economy hits the skids or a bank in a developing nation looks shaky, people don't buy euros or yen. They buy Benjamins. They stuff them under mattresses in Buenos Aires and trade them in backrooms in Eastern Europe.
It’s the ultimate survival currency.
Why the 2013 Redesign Actually Mattered
If you look at a $100 bill from 1990 and one from today, the difference is jarring. The old ones looked like play money by comparison. In 2013, the Treasury dropped the "New $100." It was a mess to produce. They had printing delays that lasted years because the tech was so complex.
They added that 3D Security Ribbon. You know the one—the blue strip that isn't printed on the paper but is actually woven through it. If you tilt the bill, you see bells changing into 100s. It’s cool. It’s also incredibly hard to fake. They also put a "Bell in the Inkwell." It shifts from copper to green.
The goal? Stop the "Supernotes." For years, rumors swirled about high-end counterfeits coming out of North Korea. These weren't your average "printed in a basement" fakes. They were nearly perfect. By loading the US dollar Benjamin Franklin with microscopic tech, the U.S. government made it so expensive to counterfeit that it almost wasn't worth the effort.
Franklin Wasn't Just a Founder; He Was a Printer
There’s a poetic irony to Franklin being on the money. Most people know him as the guy with the lightning rod. But Benjamin Franklin was, first and foremost, a printer. He actually printed money for the colonies.
Back in the 1700s, counterfeiting was a death-penalty offense. To stop it, Franklin used a technique called "nature printing." He would take a real leaf—maybe a sage or parsley leaf—and use it to create a mold for the printing plate. Because every leaf has unique, microscopic veins, it was impossible for a human engraver to hand-copy it perfectly.
He was doing "security features" before the United States was even a country.
The Psychology of the Large Denomination
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to break a hundred? It's called the "denomination effect." Behavioral economists have studied this. You’re way more likely to spend four $20 bills and two $10 bills than you are to break a single US dollar Benjamin Franklin. Once that big bill is gone, it feels like the money has "vanished."
Retailers know this. Criminals know this. Governments know this.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about getting rid of the $100 bill entirely. Larry Summers, the former Treasury Secretary, famously argued for its demise. The logic is that honest people don't really need $100 bills for daily life. We have credit cards and Apple Pay. The people who need suitcases full of Benjamins are usually involved in tax evasion or something worse.
But the Fed hasn't budged. Why? Because the $100 bill is one of America's greatest exports.
Global Demand and the "Blue Ben"
Over half of all $100 bills circulate outside the United States. Think about that. We are essentially exporting paper and ink, and in exchange, we get real goods and services. It’s a massive win for the U.S. economy. This is what economists call "seigniorage." It costs the government about 14 cents to print a US dollar Benjamin Franklin, but they get $100 worth of value for it.
The "Blue Ben" (the post-2013 version) is the king of the global black market, but also the global safety market. In countries with hyperinflation, the Benjamin Franklin is the only thing that keeps families from losing their life savings.
Misconceptions About the "Paper"
It isn't paper. If you accidentally wash a $100 bill, it usually survives. Why? Because it’s 75% cotton and 25% linen. It’s basically fabric.
If you look really closely—like, get a magnifying glass—you’ll see tiny red and blue silk fibers embedded in the "paper." Counterfeiters try to print these lines on the surface, but on a real US dollar Benjamin Franklin, they are part of the structure.
Then there’s the microprinting. Around Franklin’s collar on the newer bills, the words "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" are printed so small that they look like a solid line to the naked eye. If a copier tries to scan it, the words blur together into a muddy mess.
How to Spot a Fake Without a Fancy Pen
Those yellow highlighter pens you see at the grocery store? They’re okay, but they aren't foolproof. They just react to the starch in wood-based paper. Professional counterfeiters sometimes use "bleached" bills—they take a $1 or $5, scrub the ink off, and print a $100 over it. The pen will say it’s real paper, because it is.
But it’s a fake bill.
To really check a US dollar Benjamin Franklin, you need to do three things:
- Feel it. Run your fingernail over Franklin’s shoulder. It should feel rough, like a file. That’s "intaglio" printing. It’s very hard to replicate with a standard printer.
- Look for the watermark. Hold it to the light. There should be a ghost-like image of Ben Franklin on the right side. It should be visible from both sides.
- Check the security thread. There’s a vertical strip that glows pink under UV light. If it glows a different color or doesn't glow at all, you’ve got a problem.
The Future of the C-Note
Digital currency is the big threat. With the rise of CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies) and crypto, some wonder if the physical US dollar Benjamin Franklin is headed for the museum.
I doubt it.
There is a tangibility to a $100 bill that digital numbers can't match. It works when the power is out. It works when the internet is down. It works when you don't want a trail. Franklin himself was a man of the people, a man of practical solutions. It feels right that his face is on the tool that keeps the world’s "under-the-table" and "emergency" economies moving.
Practical Next Steps for Handling High-Value Notes
If you're dealing with $100 bills, whether for business or personal savings, you need to be smart about it.
- Verify the 2013 features: If someone hands you a "big head" Franklin without the blue ribbon, it’s an older series. It’s still legal tender, but it’s much easier to forge. Check the watermark twice.
- Store them properly: Since they are made of cotton and linen, they can grow mold if kept in damp environments. Use a cool, dry place. Avoid those "buried in the backyard" tropes unless you have a waterproof container.
- Know the limits: Most retailers won't take a $100 for a $2 purchase. It’s not just about change; it’s about risk management. Keep smaller denominations for daily use and save the Benjamins for bank deposits or major purchases.
- Check for "Tears and Tape": Banks will replace mutilated currency as long as more than 50% of the bill is identifiable, but most businesses won't touch a taped-together bill. If you have a damaged one, take it to a bank, don't try to pass it at a gas station.
The US dollar Benjamin Franklin isn't just money. It’s a piece of engineering. It’s a symbol of American stability. Whether you call it a yard, a bill, or a Benji, it remains the most important piece of paper in the world.
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Make sure yours are real. Keep them dry. And maybe read a little bit about the guy on the front—he was way more interesting than the stiff-looking portrait suggests.