US Notes

Women on Currency

The Series 1886 $1 Silver Certificate Martha Washington: The Only Woman Ever Portrayed on a Small-Denomination US Note

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The Series 1886 $1 Silver Certificate stands alone in American currency history as the only small-denomination note to feature a woman’s portrait, showcasing Martha Washington in stunning engraved detail. Understanding its varieties, signature combinations, and grading challenges is essential knowledge for any serious collector of Nineteenth Century paper money.

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The Failed Attempt to Put Susan B. Anthony on Paper Currency in the 1970s: Congressional Debates and BEP Proposals

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In the mid-1970s, Congress and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing came remarkably close to placing Susan B. Anthony’s portrait on a circulating Federal Reserve Note, a move that would have made her the first woman on U.S. paper currency in over a century. Understanding why the proposal collapsed, and what the BEP actually designed, gives collectors a rare window into how political momentum, bureaucratic inertia, and public opinion shape the currency we handle every day.

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Women on US Paper Money: Martha Washington, Pocahontas, and the Long Road to Harriet Tubman

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From Martha Washington’s brief but historic appearance on the 1886 Silver Certificate to the long-delayed promise of Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, women have had a complicated and fascinating relationship with American paper money. This guide traces every significant female portrait on US currency, with catalog numbers, rarity data, and collecting strategies for each.

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