Faces depicted on paper currency, security watermarks, and monetary history.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Modern polymer banknotes are printed on a thin, flexible film made from which plastic?
The film is stretched in two directions, which strengthens the plastic while keeping the banknote thin and flexible.
Which country issued the world's first modern polymer banknote in 1988?
By 1996, Australia had replaced every banknote denomination with polymer, becoming the first country with an all-polymer series.
How do printers make a clear window in a polymer banknote without cutting a hole?
Polymer notes begin as clear film; opaque coatings cover most of the sheet, leaving windows that are hard to copy on paper.
Which property helps polymer banknotes last longer than paper notes?
Worn polymer notes can be shredded and recycled into plastic products such as plant pots.
Which U.S. president's portrait appears on the one-dollar bill?
Washington's portrait has graced the $1 bill since 1869, making it one of the longest-running U.S. bill designs.
Which discontinued U.S. bill featured Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase?
The $10,000 bill honored Chase, who oversaw the first national currency, before it left circulation in 1969.
Which U.S. president appears on the fifty-dollar bill?
Grant's portrait has appeared on the $50 bill since 1914, and the note was redesigned in 2004 to deter counterfeiting.
What security feature in U.S. bills shows a faint portrait when held to the light?
The watermark is a subtle duplicate of the main portrait, visible only by transmitted light and hard for scanners to copy.