United States five-dollar bill explained

Country:United States
Value:$5
Width Mm:6 9/64 inches ≈ 156
Height Mm:2 39/64 inches ≈ 66.3
Weight G:0.035 oz. ≈ 1[1]
Paper Type:75% cotton
25% linen
Years Of Printing:1861–present
Obverse:US $5 Series 2006 obverse.jpg
Obverse Design Date:2006
Reverse:US $5 Series 2006 reverse.jpg
Reverse Design Date:2006

The United States five-dollar bill (US$5) is a denomination of United States currency. The current $5 bill features U.S. president Abraham Lincoln and the Great Seal of the United States on the front and the Lincoln Memorial on the back. All $5 bills issued today are Federal Reserve Notes., the average life of a $5 bill in circulation is 4.7 years before it is replaced due to wear.[2] Approximately 6% of all paper currency produced by the U.S. Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing in 2009 were $5 bills.[3]

Although sometimes nicknamed a "fin", which has German/Yiddish roots and is remotely related to the English "five", the term is currently far less common than it was in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is also occasionally referred to as a “fiver”.[4]

Current design

The redesigned $5 bill was unveiled on September 20, 2007,[5] and was issued on March 13, 2008, during a ceremony at President Lincoln's Cottage.[6]

Security features

New and enhanced security features make it easier to check the new $5 bill and more difficult for potential counterfeiters to reproduce. The redesigned $5 bill has:

The five dollar bill lacks the optically variable ink of higher denomination US bills.

Design features

The new $5 bills remain the same size and use the same—but enhanced—portraits and historical images. The most noticeable difference is the light-purple coloring of the center of the bill, which blends into gray near the edges.

Similar to the recently redesigned $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills, the new $5 bill features an American symbol of freedom printed in the background: The Great Seal of the United States, featuring an eagle and shield, is printed in purple to the right of the portrait and an arc of purple stars surround both it and the portrait.

When the Lincoln Memorial was constructed the names of 48 states were engraved on it. The picture of the Lincoln Memorial on the $5 bill only contains the names of 26 states. These are the 26 states that can be seen on the front side of the Lincoln memorial which is what is pictured on the $5 bill.

On the back of the bill, a larger, purple numeral "5" appears in the lower right corner to help those with visual impairments to distinguish the denomination. This large "5" also includes the words "USA FIVE" in tiny white letters.

The oval borders around President Lincoln's portrait on the front, and the Lincoln Memorial vignette on the back have been removed. Both engravings have been enhanced.

Proposed redesign

On April 20, 2016, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew announced that the $5, $10, and $20 would all undergo redesign prior to 2020. The changes would add new features to combat counterfeiting and make them easier for blind citizens to distinguish. Lew said that while Lincoln would remain on the obverse, the reverse would be redesigned to depict various historical events that had occurred at the Lincoln Memorial. Among the planned designs are images from Martin Luther King Jr. giving his 1963 speech "I Have a Dream" and the 1939 concert by opera singer Marian Anderson.[8] [9] [10], the Treasury has continued work on the $20 bill; the redesigns of the $5 and $10 were not mentioned.[11]

Large size note history

(approximately 7.4218 × 3.125 in ≅ 189 × 79 mm)

Small size note history

(6.14 × 2.61 in ≅ 156 × 66 mm)

Series dates

Small size

TypeSeriesRegisterTreasurerSeal
National Bank Note Types 1 & 21929Brown
Federal Reserve Bank Note1929Jones Woods Brown
TypeSeriesTreasurerSecretarySeal
Legal Tender Note1928Red
Legal Tender Note1928AWoods Red
Legal Tender Note1928BRed
Legal Tender Note1928CJulian Morgenthau Red
Legal Tender Note1928DJulian Red
Legal Tender Note1928EJulian Red
Legal Tender Note1928FSnyder Red
Legal Tender Note1953Red
Legal Tender Note1953APriest Red
Legal Tender Note1953BRed
Legal Tender Note1953CDillon Red
Legal Tender Note1963Granahan Dillon Red
Silver Certificate1934Blue
Silver Certificate1934AJulian Morgenthau Blue
Silver Certificate1934A North AfricaJulian Morgenthau Yellow
Silver Certificate1934BJulian Blue
Silver Certificate1934CJulian Blue
Silver Certificate1934DSnyder Blue
Silver Certificate1953Blue
Silver Certificate1953APriest Blue
Silver Certificate1953BBlue
Federal Reserve Note1928Mellon Green
Federal Reserve Note1928AWoods Mellon Green
Federal Reserve Note1928BWoods Mellon Green
Federal Reserve Note1928CWoods Mills Green
Federal Reserve Note1928DWoods Green
Federal Reserve Note1934Julian Morgenthau Green
Federal Reserve Note1934 HawaiiJulian Morgenthau Brown
Federal Reserve Note1934AJulian Morgenthau Green
Federal Reserve Note1934A HawaiiJulian Morgenthau Brown
Federal Reserve Note1934BJulian Vinson Green
Federal Reserve Note1934CJulian Snyder Green
Federal Reserve Note1934DClark Snyder Green
Federal Reserve Note1950Clark Snyder Green
Federal Reserve Note1950APriest Humphrey Green
Federal Reserve Note1950BPriest Anderson Green
Federal Reserve Note1950CSmith Dillon Green
Federal Reserve Note1950DGranahan Dillon Green
Federal Reserve Note1950EGranahan Green
Federal Reserve Note1963Granahan Dillon Green
Federal Reserve Note1963AGranahan Fowler Green
Federal Reserve Note1969Green
Federal Reserve Note1969AGreen
Federal Reserve Note1969BConnally Green
Federal Reserve Note1969CBañuelos Green
Federal Reserve Note1974Green
Federal Reserve Note1977Green
Federal Reserve Note1977AMorton Green
Federal Reserve Note1981Green
Federal Reserve Note1981ARegan Green
Federal Reserve Note1985Ortega Green
Federal Reserve Note1988Ortega Green
Federal Reserve Note1988ABrady Green
Federal Reserve Note1993Green
Federal Reserve Note1995Withrow Green
Federal Reserve Note1999Withrow Green
Federal Reserve Note2001Green
Federal Reserve Note2003Marin Green
Federal Reserve Note2003ASnow Green
Federal Reserve Note2006Cabral Green
Federal Reserve Note2009Green
Federal Reserve Note2013Rios Green
Federal Reserve Note2017AGreen
Federal Reserve Note2021Green

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Currency Facts. uscurrency.gov. U.S. Currency Education Program. 15 July 2020.
  2. Web site: The Fed - FAQs.
  3. Web site: Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Money Facts. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20051206012921/http://www.moneyfactory.gov/document.cfm/18/2230. 2005-12-06.
  4. Web site: 5 Currency Facts You Probably Didn't Know About the US $5 Dollar Bill Currency Exchange International, Corp. www.ceifx.com. 2020-01-16.
  5. News: Sullivan . Andy . U.S. unveils new $5 bill to thwart counterfeiters . 5 February 2023 . Reuters . Reuters . 20 September 2007 . en.
  6. News: Dubose . Ben . Federal Reserve unveils colorful, high-tech $5 bill The Spokesman-Review . 5 February 2023 . www.spokesman.com . Los Angeles Times . The Spokesman-Review . 14 March 2008.
  7. Web site: uscurrency.gov.gov - The Redesigned $5 Note. US Currency Education Program.
  8. Web site: Kenney . Tanasia . 2016-04-27 . King Center Says Decision to Put MLK on $5 Bill Is a 'Historical Turning Point' . 2024-04-02 . Atlanta Black Star . en-US.
  9. Web site: lgore@al.com . Leada Gore . 2016-04-21 . New $5 bill will feature MLK, Marian Anderson . 2024-04-02 . al . en.
  10. Web site: Anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman to replace Jackson on $20 bill. .
  11. Web site: Dishman. Lydia. Harriet Tubman will finally replace Andrew Jackson as the face of the $20 bill. Fast Company. January 25, 2021. January 30, 2021.
  12. Web site: USPaperMoney.Info: Series 1993 . www.uspapermoney.info.
  13. Web site: USPaperMoney.Info: Series 1999 . www.uspapermoney.info.
  14. Web site: USPaperMoney.Info: Series 2006 . www.uspapermoney.info.