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US Currency Trivia Quiz

Here are various questions on the currency printed in the US. In this quiz, "Old bills" refer to pre-1996 series of the $20, $50, and $100 bill and pre-1999 series of the $5 and $10 bill. "New bills" refer to the redesigned bills printed during 2004.

A multiple-choice quiz by tralfaz. Estimated time: 8 mins.

Author
tralfaz

Time
8 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
188,824

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
12 / 25

Plays
1292

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. Of the currency printed in 2004, how many feature portraits of non-presidents? Hint

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Question 2 of 25

2. Until recently (printed until 1946, circulated until 1969), the US also printed $500 bills, $1000 bills, $5000 bills, and $10,000. What was on the reverse of these bills? Hint

Historic buildings in the US

Natural wonders in the US

Historical events

The denomination of the bill

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Question 3 of 25

3. One last question on these high denomination bills. Match up the portrait with the correct denomination. Hint

Salmon Chase - $500

William McKinley - $1000

James Madison - $5000

Grover Cleveland - $10,000

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Question 4 of 25

4. Actually, there is one higher denomination bill that is not printed but is still sometimes used - the $100,000 bill. Who is on this bill? Hint

Woodrow Wilson

James Monroe

John Adams

Theodore Roosevelt

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Question 5 of 25

5. The $100,000 bill was never used by the public and is not legal tender. Who does use it? Hint

The Federal Reserve Banks

The House of Representatives

The Department of State

The General Accounting Office

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Question 6 of 25

6. $1: During times of war, the eagle on the back of the $1 faces the arrows.

True

False

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Question 7 of 25

7. $1: Did the US continued printing the $1 bill after introducing the Golden (Sacajawea) dollar coin?

Yes

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Question 8 of 25

8. $2: Thomas Jefferson is on the obverse of the current $2 bill. What is on the reverse? Hint

The Statue of Liberty

The signing of the Declaration of Independence

Philadelphia State House

The Supreme Court Building

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Question 9 of 25

9. $2: The last of these bills were printed in 1976.

Yes

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Question 10 of 25

10. $5: How many states are listed on the reverse of the bill? Hint

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Question 11 of 25

11. $5: Lincoln has a beard on the one cent piece and on the old design of the $5 bill. Does he have a beard on the redesigned bill?

Yes

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Question 12 of 25

12. $10: A common trivia question is what bill has cars on it. The answer was the $10 bill. Would this still be a correct answer looking at the new bill?

Yes

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Question 13 of 25

13. $10: What building is on the reverse? Hint

US Capitol

Treasury Building

Independence Hall

Blair House

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Question 14 of 25

14. $20: What is one difference between the new bill and the old bill? Hint

New bill - flag goes to right; Old bill - flag goes to the left

New bill - no trees; Old bill - trees by the White House

New bill - trees by the White House; Old bill - no trees

New bill - flag goes to left; Old bill - flag goes to the right

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Question 15 of 25

15. $20: On the newly designed note, how many eagles are there? Hint

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Question 16 of 25

16. $50: On the newly designed bill, is the portrait of Grant from when he was General of the Union Army or President of the United States?

Answer: (One word (General or President))

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Question 17 of 25

17. $50: People were shocked when there was a peach background on the obverse of the new $20 bill. What were the two background colors on the $50 bill to be released 28 September 2004?

Answer: (Three Words (two colors separated by "and"))

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Question 18 of 25

18. $100: Is Ben Franklin wearing glasses on the newly designed bill?

Yes

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Question 19 of 25

19. $100: What time does the clock on Independence Hall say? Hint

4:10

1:30

2:40

3:20

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Question 20 of 25

20. I'm going to cheat and ask about coins. Which of these is not an official name of a coin the US mints? Hint

quarter

half-dollar

dime

nickle

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Question 21 of 25

21. Up until the end of the twentieth century, who was the only woman whose portrait had appeared on the obverse of American currency? Hint

Pocahontas

Susan B. Anthony

Martha Washington

Sacajawea

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Question 22 of 25

22. Who decides on the designs and portraits used in US currency? Hint

Treasurer of the United States

Secretary of the Treasury

President of the United States

A Congressional committee

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Question 23 of 25

23. For many years the US printed silver and gold certificates. Did they ever print a platinum certificate?

Yes

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Question 24 of 25

24. What does a star in the serial number mean? Hint

The original bill with that serial number was damaged during printing

That the original bill with that serial number was redeemed for a new bill

Stars are printed in the serial number on every 1000th sheet for inventory purposes

The first sheet for a new series is printed with stars in the serial number

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Question 25 of 25

25. Let's say you want to redeem your currency. You turn it in to the US Treasury Office and what do you get in return? Hint

An equivalent value in gold bullion

An electronic credit into your bank account

Silver or golden dollars

A check

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Of the currency printed in 2004, how many feature portraits of non-presidents?

Answer: 2

Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, is on the $10 bill and Benjamin Franklin is on the $100 bill.

2. Until recently (printed until 1946, circulated until 1969), the US also printed $500 bills, $1000 bills, $5000 bills, and $10,000. What was on the reverse of these bills?

Answer: The denomination of the bill

Nothing real exciting on the back of these bills. Of course, if you have these bills in your possession, you probably don't care if they are exciting or not.

3. One last question on these high denomination bills. Match up the portrait with the correct denomination.

Answer: James Madison - $5000

William McKinley - $500, Grover Cleveland - $1000, James Madison - $5000, Salmon Chase - $10,000.

4. Actually, there is one higher denomination bill that is not printed but is still sometimes used - the $100,000 bill. Who is on this bill?

Answer: Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson is the only US president to have a doctorate. After his debilitating stroke, his wife Edith fulfilled many of the presidential duties, so for a time the US has had a de facto woman president.

5. The $100,000 bill was never used by the public and is not legal tender. Who does use it?

Answer: The Federal Reserve Banks

This is a holdover from when large currency bills were needed in transactions between banks. The advent of electronic banking has made these bills obsolete, but due to the way the Federal Reserve and the US Treasury interact, the $100,000 bill is still used.

6. $1: During times of war, the eagle on the back of the $1 faces the arrows.

Answer: False

The eagle is part of the Great Seal of the US and does not change in times of war. Before people start sending me correction notices, the Presidential Seal used to have the eagle facing to the right (the arrows) while the Great Seal of the United States has always had the eagle facing the left (the olive branches). Right after World War II, President Truman changed the eagle on the Presidential Seal to make it similar to the eagle on the Great Seal.

He is reported to have said that this was to show that Americans favor peace.

7. $1: Did the US continued printing the $1 bill after introducing the Golden (Sacajawea) dollar coin?

Answer: Yes

There is a huge demand for $1 bills and many people do not like the new coins. In fact, more $1 bills are currently printed than any other bill. It is difficult to find the new coins in circulation.

8. $2: Thomas Jefferson is on the obverse of the current $2 bill. What is on the reverse?

Answer: The signing of the Declaration of Independence

This means that Thomas Jefferson is the only person on both sides of the same bill. Montecello used to be on the reverse before the bills were redesigned in 1928.

9. $2: The last of these bills were printed in 1976.

Answer: No

Although a major promotion of $2 was done for the US Bicentennial in 1776, reprinting started in 1996. They are not commomly seen as retailers do not like to use them. In fact, it is a superstition with retailers that a $2 bill is bad luck.

10. $5: How many states are listed on the reverse of the bill?

Answer: 26

These states are listed on the Lincoln Memorial. The states listed are those in the Union during his presidency.

11. $5: Lincoln has a beard on the one cent piece and on the old design of the $5 bill. Does he have a beard on the redesigned bill?

Answer: Yes

Yes he does although it is less pronounced than the coin and old bill portrait. The only other portrait with a beard is Grant on the $50 bill.

12. $10: A common trivia question is what bill has cars on it. The answer was the $10 bill. Would this still be a correct answer looking at the new bill?

Answer: No

There is an urban legend that the auto on the old $10 was a Model T that Bonnie and Clyde used, however the Bureau of Engraving makes it clears that no specific car is pictured. Instead the cars on the old currency are composites.

13. $10: What building is on the reverse?

Answer: Treasury Building

The original picture was an oblique view of the Treasury Building that also showed the street. The current view is a front-on view without a view of the street.

14. $20: What is one difference between the new bill and the old bill?

Answer: New bill - flag goes to left; Old bill - flag goes to the right

While you have the two bills out to compare them, look at the White House. Notice how different they are?

15. $20: On the newly designed note, how many eagles are there?

Answer: 3

A large lightly colored "symbol of freedom" to the left of Jackson. A smaller one with a shield to the right. A third one in the stamp for the Federal Reserve System.

16. $50: On the newly designed bill, is the portrait of Grant from when he was General of the Union Army or President of the United States?

Answer: President

The portrait shows an older man and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is very clear that it represents Grant as the 18th President of the US.

17. $50: People were shocked when there was a peach background on the obverse of the new $20 bill. What were the two background colors on the $50 bill to be released 28 September 2004?

Answer: red and blue

Once all of the bills have been redesigned, each one will have a different background color to make it easier to tell the bills apart.

18. $100: Is Ben Franklin wearing glasses on the newly designed bill?

Answer: No

Although it would be clever if he were wearing the bifocals that he invented, he is not. By the way, when they redesigned this bill in 1996, they forgot to put a large high-contrast "100" in the lower right hand corner of the reverse for people with low vision.

19. $100: What time does the clock on Independence Hall say?

Answer: 4:10

This can be seen under magnification. There are also three people on the back of this bill. Two of them are a couple which the Bureau of Engraving and Printing stresses are NOT embracing. For some reason that was important at one time.

20. I'm going to cheat and ask about coins. Which of these is not an official name of a coin the US mints?

Answer: nickle

Look on the back side of a coin and you will notice a few things. First of all, US coins do not have numerals. This makes it difficult for non-English speakers to know the values of the coins. Secondly, you see the terms: one cent, five cents, one dime, quarter dollar, half dollar, and one dollar.

This gives the official names for the coins: one cent piece, five cent piece, dime, quarter, half dollar, dollar.

21. Up until the end of the twentieth century, who was the only woman whose portrait had appeared on the obverse of American currency?

Answer: Martha Washington

She was featured on the $1 Silver Certificates Series, 1886 and 1891.

22. Who decides on the designs and portraits used in US currency?

Answer: Secretary of the Treasury

This was established on 11 July 1862 and has never been changed.

23. For many years the US printed silver and gold certificates. Did they ever print a platinum certificate?

Answer: No

These "Million Dollar notes" were printed by an art company in Canada. Since they were not printed by the US government, they have no value as legal tender.

24. What does a star in the serial number mean?

Answer: The original bill with that serial number was damaged during printing

This is an expensive process, but is done since every serial number must be accounted for due to security concerns. If a bill is redeemed, it is either placed back in circulation or if too damaged it is destroyed and the serial number is retired.

25. Let's say you want to redeem your currency. You turn it in to the US Treasury Office and what do you get in return?

Answer: A check

Gold certificates were redeemable for gold bullion until 1933 when President F. Roosevelt made private ownership of gold illegal. Silver certificates were redeemable for silver dollars (made of 0.900 fine silver) until 1968. Currently, the US Treasury does not distinguish between US Notes, Gold Certificates, Silver Certificates, and Federal Reserve Notes (the kind printed in 2004).

They are all redeemable for face value only.

Source: Author tralfaz

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