The smallest banknote ever printed, according to Guinness World Records, was Romania's 10-Bani note from 1917, measuring just 38 mm by 27.5 mm, created due to metal shortages after World War I. While other small modern banknotes exist, this historical Romanian note holds the record for being the physically smallest ever issued.
On July 14, 1969, the Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve System announced that currency notes in denominations of $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 would be discontinued immediately due to lack of use. Although they were issued until 1969, they were last printed in 1945.
The world's smallest: the 10-bani note
Romania's 10-bani coin is one of the currencies that features an eagle, this time wearing a crown. But back in 1917, the 10-bani note that was produced as part of a war series by the country's Ministry of Finance is the smallest banknote ever to be produced in the world.
American paper currency comes in seven denominations: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. The United States no longer issues bills in larger denominations, such as $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 bills.
These are the 1917 issues of Romanian Bani (like the cent), they were emergency issues to replace coins during World War One. The 10 Bani Note is the smallest in the world, measuring just 44mm x 33mm. They have the image of King Ferdinand I on the Obverse. It is unknown how many still exist today.
According to auction results, the most valuable one-dollar bill is an 1874 $1 United States Note. It sold in March 2024 for $26,400 through Stack's Bowers Galleries. This bill stands out not only for its rarity but also for its condition. Very few similar bills are so well-preserved.
The series 1918 version's obverse includes text ("Federal Reserve Note" and "The United States of America will pay to the bearer on demand ten thousand dollars") and a portrait of the former Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase.
The United States 5000-dollar bill (US$5000) is an obsolete denomination of United States currency. The note features president James Madison. It is still legal tender. The United States Department of the Treasury discontinued the note $5000 bill in 1969 and it is now valued by currency collectors.
The Reserve Bank currently has no plans to release fourth series notes in denominations higher than $100, despite the amount of inflation that has occurred since the $100 note was introduced in 1984.
The $100,000 bill is the highest denomination ever issued by the U.S. Federal Government. Printed in 1934, it was not intended for general use, but instead was used as an accounting device between branches of the Federal Reserve. It is illegal for a private individual to own this banknote.
The notes were used for transactions between Federal Reserve Banks and were not circulated among the general public. Is there a $1 million dollar note? The U.S. government has never issued a $1 million note.
They are trademarked as "0 Euro Banknote" or Euro Souvenir. However, they are no official legal tender and cannot be used as a currency or to pay with them.
A floating exchange rate is a system where a currency's value is set by supply and demand in the foreign exchange market. This system became common after the end of the Bretton Woods system and is contrasted with fixed exchange rates, which are controlled by the government.
Though a gold three-dollar coin was produced in the 1800s, and the Bahamian dollar (which is pegged to the US dollar) has a $3 banknote, no three-dollar bill has ever been produced in the United States.
The US dollar is one of the strongest currencies of the past 100+ years. Yet it has lost 96% of its purchasing power since 1913.
The Bank of Jamaica introduced a $5000 bill into Jamaica's monetary system on 24 September 2009. It bears the portrait of former Prime Minister of Jamaica, The Honourable Hugh Lawson Shearer.
In 1934, Wilson's image appeared on the $100,000, which was legal tender but was never publicly circulated. Instead it was used to transfer funds between Federal Reserve banks.
“A serial number '1′ for a 1976 $2 bill would be worth $20,000 or more,” Dustin Johnston, vice president of Heritage Auctions, told MarketWatch. Other high-value serial numbers include so-called “ladder” or “solid” numbers. Solid serial numbers are codes that have the same digit, such as 88888888888.
Possession by private individuals of the $100,000 bill is deemed illegal on account of its large denomination and the regulations declared at its signing. The bill, outside of the federal government, may only be used for educational purposes, particularly in museums for public viewing.
Key Takeaways
Large denomination bills are unavailable through banks. You cannot expect to stroll into a local branch and ask for a $500, a $1000, or anything higher.