Which US President is featured in the two-dollar bill?
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Loose change and dollar secrets: Fun facts about US currency
You use money every single day, but you might be surprised after learning some details about it! From presidents facing the "wrong" way to secret symbols hiding in plain sight, U.S. coins and bills are packed with quirky details and curious history. Whether you're flipping a penny or eyeing a $100 bill, there’s more going on than meets the wallet. Let’s dig into some of the strangest, sneakiest, and most surprising facts about American currency.
Image: Viacheslav Bublyk
The $2 bill is real and still legal
Yep, that mysterious $2 bill featuring Thomas Jefferson isn’t a collector’s fantasy. It’s still produced today (though rarely), and the reverse shows the Signing of the Declaration of Independence. People tend to save them, thinking they’re rare, but you can spend them just like any other bill.
Image: Alicia Razuri
The penny used to be made of pure copper
During WWII, copper was needed for ammo, so in 1943, pennies were made from steel and coated in zinc. They looked silver and rusted easily, some even stuck to magnets! Today, most pennies are actually 97.5% zinc with just a thin copper coating.
Image: Adam Nir
George Washington didn’t appear on the first $1 bill.
The very first $1 bill (from 1862) featured Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury at the time. Washington didn't show up until 1869, and Chase had a not-so-humble role in placing his own face there.
Image: Jonathan Borba
There’s a tiny owl hidden on the $1 bill
Take a magnifying glass to the upper-right corner of the "1" on a dollar bill. Some people swear there’s a tiny owl or spider hidden in the pattern, said to symbolize wisdom or surveillance. Officially, it's just part of the ornate design, but still a fun little mystery!
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The $100,000 bill actually existed
No, you can’t use it at Target. Printed in 1934 and featuring Woodrow Wilson, this gold certificate was used only for transactions between Federal Reserve Banks. It was never meant for public use, and owning one today is illegal!
Image: Dmytro Glazunov
Lincoln faces the other way for a reason
On most bills, presidents face to the right. But on the penny, Lincoln faces left. One theory is that the designer used a portrait that happened to face left, but it also makes Lincoln the only president looking "inward" when coins are lined up in value order.
Image: JustStartInvesting
"In God We Trust" wasn’t always on our money
That phrase didn’t become mandatory on U.S. currency until 1955 during the Cold War. It first appeared on coins in 1864, but the push to include it everywhere came as a nod to America’s spiritual identity in contrast to atheistic communism.
Image: Jonathan Borba
Coins last way longer than bills
Your average dollar bill survives about 6.6 years in circulation. Coins? They can keep going for 30 years or more! That’s why coins are still a budget-friendly way for the government to make money — and we mean that literally!
Image: Barry A
The buildings on the back aren’t random
Each bill’s reverse side typically features a building related to the person on the front. For instance, the Lincoln Memorial is on the back of the $5 bill (with Lincoln on the front), and the White House appears behind Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. The choice of course had to do with government history itself! Which building do you think is missing?
Image: Ryan Quintal
There are secret codes on every bill
Look closely and you’ll spot tiny letters and numbers that identify which printing plate was used and where the bill was made. Ever see a tiny "F6" on a $1? That means it was printed in Atlanta, Georgia.
Image: Andrew Dawes
A dollar is technically made of cloth
Despite calling it "paper money," U.S. bills are actually made of 75% cotton and 25% linen. That’s why they feel so distinct, and don’t shred like regular paper when they get wet (though they still don’t love laundry day).
Image: Live Richer
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