5 Currency Facts You Probably Didn't Know About the US $50 Dollar Bill

Long live the 50

According to our friends at the U.S. Currency Education program, the $50 bill has the second longest lifespan out of all the USD denominations; a runner up to the $100.

Capitol surprises

The US dollar happens to have a very interesting Easter egg on it. When you flip it over, you’ll notice the US Capitol Building, which to anyone not reading this article might seem to be a standard piece of art for our country’s currency.

However, few know the Capitol Building happens to have a monument of Ulysses S. Grant at the base of Capitol Hill. Which, if you stand where this monument is located, you can get a perfect view of the Capitol Building that is identical to the image on the back of the $50.

Most expensive currency

Here we introduce another superlative for our US currency. Where the US $20 won most counterfeited, the US $50 wins the most expensive currency. By this we mean it’s the most expensive currency to create; costing 19.4 cents to have it made. Meanwhile, the $100 only costs 15.5 cents per note. Go figure!

Granted the honor

Ulysses S. Grant wasn’t the portrait on the $50 until 1914. Before this, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Henry Clay, and Benjamin Franklin all graced the front of the US 50 at some point throughout its existence.

The $50 note has changed 4 times over the last 105 years. Visit the $50 denominations page to see the design changes: https://t.co/trYR2MoT91 #uscurrency pic.twitter.com/46QYbrXyCi

— U.S. Currency (@uscurrency) August 22, 2019

Least likely to be printed

Yet another superlative can be awarded to this banknote as it happens to be the least printed currency out of all six denominations (aside from the rare $2 bill). This may have something to do with the fact that it’s the most expensive to produce.

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