The first $100 United States Note was issued in 1862, making it one of the oldest denominations still recognized today.

Benjamin Franklin has appeared on the obverse of the $100 bill since 1914, making him the only non president regularly featured on this denomination.

The reverse of the $100 bill features Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a nod to where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were debated and adopted.

The modern $100 bill weighs approximately one gram and measures 157 mm by 66.3 mm, giving it the same size as most U.S. bills printed since 1929.

A $100 bill is composed of 75% cotton and 25% linen, which gives it durability and a distinctive texture compared to paper money elsewhere.

The current design includes a blue 3D security ribbon woven into the center, which shows shifting Liberty Bells and “100” numerals when tilted.

The stylized images on the obverse of the $100 bill include Franklin’s portrait, the Declaration of Independence, a quill pen, and the Syng inkwell with an embedded Liberty Bell.

Series 2009A $100 bills also feature small yellow “100s” that form the EURion constellation, a hidden anti counterfeiting technology recognized by photocopiers.

As of 2012, the $100 bill made up 77% of all U.S. currency in circulation, showing its prominence in both domestic and international use.

The $100 bill is sometimes called a “C note” because the Roman numeral for 100 is C, or “Benjamins” in reference to Benjamin Franklin.

Despite being worth far more than most other bills, the average lifespan of a $100 bill is 22.9 years due to its sturdy material and lower frequency of handling.

Interestingly, a majority of $100 bills, about 80% according to a 2018 Federal Reserve study, circulate outside the U.S., often used as a reserve currency or in international trade.

The $100 bill is one of only two U.S. bills today that does not feature a president. The other is the $10 bill with Alexander Hamilton.

Large denominations like $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 were withdrawn in 1969, leaving the $100 bill as the largest commonly circulated note.

In 1863, the first $100 Gold Certificates were issued with a bald eagle to the left and a large green 100 in the center, showing early design creativity.

The 1861 three year $100 interest bearing notes paid 7.3% interest per year and were not intended for general circulation.

Early $100 notes even featured portraits of Abraham Lincoln, James Monroe, Thomas Hart Benton, and George Washington before Franklin became standard.

Some rare $100 bills from the late 1800s earned nicknames like the “watermelon note” because of the shape of the large zeros on the reverse.

In 1929, all U.S. currency was standardized to the smaller modern size.

The 1934 $100 Gold Certificates for bank to bank transactions were printed with orange ink on the reverse instead of the standard green.

The 1963 series removed the promise to pay silver on demand and added “IN GOD WE TRUST” to the reverse, reflecting changes in U.S. monetary policy.

Series 1990 introduced microprinting and a metallic security strip to deter counterfeiting, marking the first wave of modern anti counterfeit technology.

The Series 1996 redesign updated Franklin’s portrait, added a watermark, optically variable ink, and a plastic security thread that glows under black light.

The 2009 redesign further enhanced security with a borderless portrait of Franklin and a bell in inkwell feature that changes color when tilted.

The first $100 bills from the Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth, Texas, were produced in 2007, nearly 16 years after the facility opened.

The brown quill and faint phrases from the Declaration of Independence appear on the obverse of modern $100 bills, connecting the design to American history.

Today, the $100 bill costs about 12.6 cents to produce, making it a highly cost efficient denomination relative to its face value.

Despite inflation and the rise of digital currency, there are no current plans to issue denominations higher than $100, leaving it as the largest U.S. bill in everyday circulation.