Since 2017, U.S. $100 bills are more common than $1 bills—and mostly used outside the U.S. That’s a fascinating stat with a fascinating story.

Indeed, when it comes to the paper version of American currency, $100 bills are the show. You and I may transact our daily cash business in singles, $5s, $10s, and the occasional $20.

"We have 3.5 billion of these notes which we think will be more than ample to meet domestic and international demands," said Sonja Danburg, program manager for U.S. currency education at the Fed.

The $100 bill dwarfs even the $1 bill as the most common U.S. paper currency. The number of bills bearing Benjamin Franklin’s mug more than doubled between 2012 and 2022, faster growth than any ...

Rayza Sison went to a flea market in New York this month with five $100 bills. One by one, vendors refused to take her money, saying they couldn’t make change or accepted only digital payments ...