Obsolete denominations of United States currency

The United States has produced several coins and banknotes of its dollar which no longer circulate or have been disused. Many of these were removed for specific reasons such as inflation reducing their value, a lack of demand, or being too similar to another denomination.

Treasury notes

The U.S. Dollar has numerous discontinued denominations, particularly high denomination bills, issued before and in 1934 in six denominations ranging from $500 to $100,000. Although still legal tender, most are in the hands of collectors and museums. The reverse designs featured abstract scroll-work with ornate denomination identifiers. With the exception of the $100,000 bill, these bills ceased production in the 1940s, and were recalled in 1969. Of these, the $100,000 was printed only as a Series 1934 gold certificate and was only used for internal government transactions. The United States also issued fractional currency for a brief time in the 1860s and 1870s, in several denominations each less than a dollar.

Denomination	Obverse	Reverse	Portrait
3 cent note			George Washington
5 cent note			Thomas Jefferson
10 cent note			William M. Meredith
15 cent note			Bust of Columbia
25 cent note			Robert Walker
50 cent note			William Crawford
$500 bill			William McKinley
$1,000 bill			Grover Cleveland
$2,000 bill			Various historical figures
$5,000 bill			James Madison
$10,000 bill			Salmon P. Chase
$100,000 bill			Woodrow Wilson

Coinage

There have been numerous coins throughout the United States dollar's history that no longer circulate. Some, like the half-cent coin were removed due to inflation reducing their value while others such as the two-cent piece were removed due to a lack of demand.

Note that this table shows the latest status before the coin denomination was rendered obsolete.

Denomination	Obverse	Reverse	Weight	Diameter	Material	Edge	Issued
Half cent ½¢			5.443 g (0.1920 oz)	23.5 mm (0.93 in)	100% Cu	plain	1793–1857
Large cent 1¢			10.89 g (0.384 oz)	29 mm (1.1 in)	100% Cu	plain	1793–1857
Two-cent piece 2¢			6.22 g (0.219 oz)	23.00 mm (0.906 in)	95% Cu, 5% Sn and Zn	plain	1864–1873
Three-cent nickel 3¢			1.94 g (0.068 oz)	17.9 mm (0.70 in)	75% Cu, 25% Ni	plain	1865–1889
Trime 3¢			0.8 g (0.028 oz)	14 mm (0.55 in)	90% Ag, 10% Cu	plain	1851–1873
Half dime 5¢			1.24 g (0.044 oz)	15.5 mm (0.61 in)	90% Ag, 10% Cu	Reeded	1792–1873
Twenty-cent piece 20¢			5 g (0.18 oz)	22 mm (0.87 in)	90% Ag, 10% Cu	Plain	1875–1878
Gold dollar $1			1.7 g (0.060 oz)	14.3 mm (0.56 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1849–1889α
Quarter eagle $2.50			4.18 g (0.147 oz)	18 mm (0.71 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1795–1929α
Three-dollar piece $3			5.01 g (0.177 oz)	20.5 mm (0.81 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1853–1889
Half eagle $5			8.36 g (0.295 oz)	21.6 mm (0.85 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1795–1929β
Eagle $10			16.7 g (0.59 oz)	26.8 mm (1.06 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1795–1933β
Double eagle $20			35 g (1.2 oz)	34 mm (1.3 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1849–1932γ

Notes

^α Some Early United States commemorative coins were minted in this denomination.

^β Some Modern United States commemorative coins are minted in this denomination.

^γ The United States government claims that it never officially released the 1933 double eagle. Examples of the coin were minted in that year, but were never released to circulation following Executive Order 6102.

References

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This page was last edited on 9 April 2024, at 14:57