You probably have one in your wallet right now. Or maybe it’s crumpled at the bottom of a backpack. The United States twenty-dollar bill is the workhorse of the American economy. It’s the note the ATM spits out. It’s the default payment for a decent lunch.
But honestly? It’s also one of the most controversial pieces of paper in the world.
Think about it. We see Andrew Jackson’s face every single day, yet most of us don't really know why he's there or why there's a decade-long fight to replace him. It's weird. Jackson actually hated paper money. He was a "hard money" guy who preferred gold and silver. Putting his face on a Federal Reserve Note is, historically speaking, a bit of an ironic joke.
The Design That Won't Go Away
Since 1928, Jackson has been the face of the twenty. Before him, we had Grover Cleveland. Before that? Alexander Hamilton—who eventually moved to the ten—and even George Washington. The current look, with the large, off-center portrait and the faint green and peach hues, was introduced back in 2003.
The Treasury Department didn't add those colors just to make the money look "modern." It was a desperate move to stay ahead of counterfeiters.
The United States twenty-dollar bill is the most frequently counterfeited note within the U.S. borders. Overseas, criminals go for the hundred, but domestically, the twenty is king. If you look closely at a modern twenty, you’ll see tiny yellow "03" digits scattered in the background. That's the EURion constellation. It’s a pattern that tells high-end photocopiers: "Hey, don't scan this, it's illegal."
It’s a constant arms race.
People think the "paper" is just paper. It isn't. It's a blend of 75% cotton and 25% linen. That’s why it doesn't disintegrate when you accidentally leave it in your jeans and run them through the wash. It’s also why it has that specific, crisp feel. If a bill feels "waxy" or "papery," it's almost certainly a fake. Real money is essentially fabric.
The Harriet Tubman Saga
If you’ve been following the news over the last several years, you know the United States twenty-dollar bill was supposed to look very different by now.
Back in 2016, then-Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew announced that Harriet Tubman would replace Jackson on the front of the bill. It was a massive deal. She would have been the first woman on U.S. paper currency in over a century. Martha Washington had a brief stint on a silver certificate in the late 1800s, but that’s ancient history.
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Then, things got complicated.
Political shifts and technical hurdles slowed the process to a crawl. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) claims the delay is purely about security. Designing a new bill isn't just about swapping a portrait. You have to bake in new security threads, 3D ribbons, and color-shifting ink.
The current timeline suggests we won’t see the Tubman twenty in circulation until around 2030. That feels like forever.
Why Tubman? She was the top choice after a viral campaign called "Women on 20s." Jackson is a polarizing figure because of his role in the Trail of Tears and his ownership of enslaved people. Tubman, a literal conductor on the Underground Railroad, represents a diametrically opposed chapter of American history.
How to Spot a Fake in Five Seconds
You don’t need a fancy UV light to tell if a United States twenty-dollar bill is real. You just need your hands and a bit of sunlight.
First, run your fingernail over Jackson’s shoulder. You should feel "raised printing." It’s a tactile sensation that’s incredibly hard for cheap printers to replicate. This is called intaglio printing. The ink sits on top of the paper like a tiny mountain range.
Next, hold it up to the light.
- The Watermark: You should see a faint image of Jackson in the blank space to the right of the portrait. It should be visible from both sides. If it looks like it was drawn on the surface, it’s a fake.
- The Security Thread: There’s a vertical strip buried inside the paper. On a twenty, it says "USA TWENTY" and has a small flag. If you hit it with a UV light, it glows green.
- Color-Shifting Ink: Look at the number "20" in the bottom right corner. Tilt the bill. It should change from copper to green. If it stays one color, give it back to whoever handed it to you.
I once saw a guy try to pass a twenty where the "watermark" was actually just printed on the back in light gray ink. It looked okay in a dark bar, but the second it hit the light, it was obvious. Don't be that guy.
The Economics of the Twenty
There are billions of these things in circulation. Specifically, as of the last Federal Reserve audit, there are over 11 billion twenty-dollar bills floating around.
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They have a lifespan.
A United States twenty-dollar bill typically lasts about 7.8 years before it gets too torn, dirty, or limp to be used. At that point, banks send them back to the Fed. The Fed shreds them. Sometimes, they sell the "fed shreds" as souvenirs in little bags, but mostly they just end up in landfills or are recycled into compost or insulation.
It costs the government about 13.8 cents to produce a single twenty-dollar bill. Compare that to a hundred-dollar bill, which costs about 17 cents. The "profit" the government makes by issuing currency is called seigniorage. It’s a massive revenue stream for the Treasury.
Why the Twenty is the "ATM King"
Ever wonder why ATMs almost exclusively give out twenties?
It’s all about the "Goldilocks" principle of denominations. A ten is too small—you’d be standing at the machine forever if you wanted $200. A fifty is too large—many small businesses and taco trucks hate breaking fifties because it wipes out their change drawer.
The twenty is just right.
It’s the most versatile unit of currency we have. Because of this, it’s also the denomination most likely to be used in "under-the-table" transactions. When people talk about the "shadow economy," they are talking about stacks of twenties.
However, we are seeing a shift. Digital payments like Venmo and Apple Pay are eating into the twenty's territory. In 2026, cash is no longer the undisputed king, but the United States twenty-dollar bill is remarkably resilient. It’s the backup plan. It’s the "emergency cash" you keep in your glove box.
Collectors and Oddities
Most twenties are worth exactly twenty dollars.
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But not all of them.
If you find a "Star Note"—a bill with a small star at the end of the serial number—it means the original bill was damaged during printing and replaced. Some collectors pay a premium for these.
Even more valuable are "fancy serial numbers." We’re talking about "ladders" (12345678) or "solids" (88888888). There are people on eBay who will pay hundreds, sometimes thousands, for a United States twenty-dollar bill simply because the numbers on it are cool.
Then there are error notes. Sometimes the "overprint" (the seals and serial numbers) is shifted. Sometimes the bill is printed on both sides by mistake. If you find a twenty where the back is printed on the front, don't spend it. You just found a payday.
What You Should Do Next
Checking your cash shouldn't make you paranoid, but it should make you aware. The United States twenty-dollar bill is a piece of art, a feat of engineering, and a historical document all rolled into one.
Here is how you can stay ahead:
- Audit your wallet: Take out a twenty right now. Feel the texture. Look for the security thread. Once you know what a real one feels like, you'll spot a fake instantly.
- Watch the redesign: Keep an eye on Treasury announcements. The move to the "Tubman Twenty" is going to be the biggest change to our pockets in a century. It will happen in stages, starting with the ten and the fifty, but the twenty is the one everyone is waiting for.
- Check your serials: Before you spend that bill at the grocery store, glance at the serial number. If it looks "weird" or repetitive, look it up on a currency collector site. You might be holding $100 disguised as $20.
The twenty isn't going anywhere. Even as we move toward a cashless society, the physical presence of the United States twenty-dollar bill remains a symbol of American soft power. It is trusted globally, even in places where the local currency has collapsed. That trust is built on the very features—the linen, the ink, the history—that we usually take for granted.
Treat your cash with a little more respect. It’s been through a lot to get to you.
Actionable Insights for Currency Users:
To protect yourself from fraud, always use the "Feel, Tilt, Check" method. Feel for the raised ink on the portrait's shoulder. Tilt the bill to see the color-shifting "20" in the corner. Check the watermark by holding it to a light source. If you suspect a bill is counterfeit, do not put yourself in danger; observe the passer's description and contact local law enforcement or the U.S. Secret Service immediately. Remember that knowingly passing a counterfeit United States twenty-dollar bill is a federal crime, regardless of how you acquired it. For collectors, preserve the condition of unique bills in PVC-free plastic sleeves, as "circulation wear" significantly reduces the numismatic value of error notes and star notes.