Obsolete denominations of United States currency

The United States has produced several coins and banknotes of its dollar which no longer circulate or have been disused. Many of these were removed for specific reasons such as inflation reducing their value, a lack of demand, or being too similar to another denomination.

Treasury Notes

The U.S. Dollar has numerous discontinued denominations, particularly high denomination bills, issued before and in 1934. Although still legal tender, most are in the hands of collectors and museums. The reverse designs featured abstract scroll-work with ornate denomination identifiers. With the exception of the $100,000 bill, these bills ceased production in the 1940s, and were recalled in 1969. Of these, the $100,000 is an odd bill in that it was printed only as a Series 1934 gold certificate and was only used for internal government transactions. Even though most are in the hands of collectors or museums, they remain legal tender.

Denomination Obverse Reverse Portrait
$500 bill William McKinley
$1,000 bill Grover Cleveland
$5,000 bill James Madison
$10,000 bill Salmon P. Chase
$100,000 bill Woodrow Wilson

The United States also issued fractional currency for a brief time in the 1860s and 1870s. These are:

Coinage

There have been numerous coins throughout the United States dollar's history that no longer circulate. Some, like the half-cent coin were removed due to inflation reducing their value while others such as the two-cent piece and dollar coin were removed due to a lack of demand.

Note that this table shows the latest status before the coin denomination was rendered obsolete.

Denomination Obverse Reverse Weight Diameter Material Edge Issued from
Half cent
1/2¢
5.443 g 23.5 mm 100% Cu plain 1793–1857
Two-cent piece
6.22 g 23.00 mm 95% Cu
5% Sn and Zn
plain 1864–1873
Three-cent bronze
10.89 g 28.57 mm 95% Cu
5% Zn
plain 1863
Three-cent nickel
1.94 g 17.9 mm 75% Cu
25% Ni
plain 1865–1889
Trime
.8 g 14 mm 90% Ag
10% Cu
plain 1851–1873
Half dime
1.24 g 15.5 mm 90% Ag
10% Cu
Reeded 1792–1873
Twenty-cent piece
20¢
5 g 22 mm 90% Ag
10% Cu
Plain 1875–1878
Dollar coin
$1
8.1 g 26.50 mm 88.5% Cu
6 % Zn
3.5% Mn
2 % Ni
Lettered 1794–2016
Gold dollar
$1
1.7 g 14.3 mm 90% Au
10% Cu
Reeded 1849–1889
Quarter eagle
$2.50
4.18 g 18 mm 90% Au
10% Cu
Reeded 1795–1929
Three-dollar piece
$3
5.01 g 20.5 mm 90% Au
10% Cu
Reeded 1853–1889
Stella
$4
7.00 g 22 mm 6.00g Au
0.30g Ag
0.70g Cu
Reeded 1879–1880
Half eagle
$5
8.36 g 21.6 mm 90% Au
10% Cu
Reeded 1795–1929
Eagle
$10
16.7 g 26.8 mm 90% Au
10% Cu
Reeded 1795–1933
Double eagle
$20
35 g 34 mm 90% Au
10% Cu
Reeded 1849–1929, 2009
Half-union
$50
83.58 g 50.80 mm 90% Au
10% Cu
Reeded 1877 (pattern)
1915 (commemorative)


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