Most people don't really look at the money they spend. You hand over a crumpled piece of linen and cotton to a cashier, grab your coffee, and move on. But honestly, the US ten dollar bill is kinda the "black sheep" of American currency. It’s the only note where the portrait faces left. It features a guy who was never even President. And for a few years there, it was almost the first bill to lose its male figurehead in favor of a woman.
Alexander Hamilton stares out from the ten, looking a bit more intense than the other guys on our cash. He deserves to. He basically built the entire American financial system from scratch. If you’ve got a ten-spot in your pocket right now, you’re holding a piece of history that has survived political scandals, redesigns meant to thwart North Korean counterfeiters, and a Broadway-fueled surge in popularity that literally saved Hamilton’s face from being replaced.
Who is the guy on the US ten dollar bill?
It’s Alexander Hamilton. You knew that, probably. But do you know why he’s there? Unlike Washington or Lincoln, Hamilton didn't lead the country as Commander-in-Chief. He was the first Secretary of the Treasury. He’s the reason we have a national bank and a unified currency in the first place.
Back in the late 1700s, the US was a mess of different state debts and confusing currencies. Hamilton argued that the federal government needed to take over those debts to create a stable nation. He was a visionary. He was also, frankly, a bit of a hothead, which eventually got him killed in a duel with Aaron Burr.
There is something unique about the US ten dollar bill. Hamilton is one of only two non-Presidents on currently circulating bills. The other is Benjamin Franklin on the hundred. Look closely at the portrait. It’s based on an 1805 painting by John Trumbull. While everyone else on our money looks straight ahead or slightly to the right, Hamilton looks left. Why? There’s no grand conspiracy. It’s just how Trumbull painted him. But it makes the "sawbuck" stand out.
The 2015 Drama: Why Hamilton almost disappeared
A few years ago, the Treasury Department was all set to kick Hamilton off the ten. The plan was to put a woman on the bill—the first time that would have happened on paper currency in over a century.
Then Hamilton happened.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical became a global phenomenon. Suddenly, Alexander Hamilton wasn't just a dusty historical figure; he was a pop-culture icon. Fans were livid. The Treasury was flooded with messages saying, "Leave Alex alone!"
The then-Treasury Secretary, Jack Lew, found himself in a tough spot. He wanted to honor the suffrage movement but didn't want to destroy the legacy of the man who created the Treasury. Eventually, the department pivoted. They decided to keep Hamilton on the US ten dollar bill and instead announced that Harriet Tubman would replace Andrew Jackson on the twenty. It was a massive win for Broadway fans and historians alike.
Security features that make it hard to fake
The US ten dollar bill isn't just paper. It’s 75% cotton and 25% linen. If you accidentally wash it, it doesn't fall apart like a receipt would. It’s tough. But the real tech is in the printing.
The current design, which dropped in 2006, has some pretty wild features:
- Color-shifting ink: Tilt the bill. The number "10" in the bottom right corner shifts from copper to green. If it doesn't change color, it's a fake.
- The Watermark: Hold it up to the light. You should see a faint image of Hamilton to the right of the large portrait. It’s embedded in the paper, not printed on it.
- Security Thread: There’s a plastic strip embedded vertically to the right of the portrait. It says "USA TEN" and has a tiny flag. If you hit it with UV light, it glows orange.
- Microprinting: There are tiny words that look like lines to the naked eye. Look at the base of the torches or the side borders. You’ll see "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "TEN DOLLARS" in letters so small they're nearly impossible to photocopy clearly.
Counterfeiting is a huge deal. The "Supernote" scandals involving North Korea forced the US to get aggressive with these designs. The ten was actually the first bill to move away from the traditional green-and-black look, adding subtle shades of orange, yellow, and red.
What’s on the back?
Flip it over. You see the US Treasury Building. It makes sense, given Hamilton’s role. But here is a fun detail: there is a tiny car parked out front in the engraving.
It’s an old Model T style car. The engraving was based on a photograph from the 1920s. People used to joke that it was a getaway car, but it’s just a snapshot of a moment in time. Interestingly, when they redesigned the bill in 2006, they kept the car. It’s a nostalgic nod to the history of the building and the currency itself.
Collecting the "Fancy" Tens
Not every US ten dollar bill is worth exactly ten dollars. Some are worth way more to collectors.
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Check your serial numbers. If you find a "solid" serial number—like 77777777—you’re looking at a bill worth thousands. "Ladders" are also big. That’s a sequence like 12345678. Even "radars," which read the same forward and backward, can fetch a premium on eBay.
There is also the 1933 Silver Certificate. If you find a ten from 1933, don't spend it at a gas station. Those are incredibly rare because most were never released or were pulled back. They can be worth $10,000 or more depending on the condition.
Then there are the "Star Notes." Look at the serial number. Is there a little star at the end? That means the original bill was damaged during printing and the Mint replaced it. They aren't always super valuable, but collectors definitely keep an eye out for them, especially if the print run was small.
How the ten fits into the economy
We don't print as many tens as we do ones or twenties. The "Hamilton" usually lasts about 4.5 years in circulation before it gets too ragged and the Federal Reserve shreds it.
Think about how you use a ten. It’s the quintessential "lunch bill." It’s the bill you use when a five isn't enough but a twenty feels like overkill. Because it circulates so fast, it wears out quicker than a hundred, which usually sits in a safe or a drawer for years.
Currently, there are billions of dollars worth of tens in circulation. Yet, in the age of Apple Pay and Venmo, the physical US ten dollar bill is becoming a bit of a rarity in some circles. Still, for cash-heavy industries, it remains a workhorse.
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Why the US ten dollar bill matters today
It represents stability. In a world where crypto prices swing wildly and inflation eats at savings, the physical US currency remains the world's primary reserve. The ten-dollar bill is a symbol of that "Full Faith and Credit" Hamilton fought so hard for.
Next time you have one, look at the "We the People" printed in red in the background. Look at the two torches. These aren't just decorations. They are symbols of the Enlightenment values that birthed the country. The bill is a tiny, portable monument.
How to check if your ten is real:
- Feel the paper. It should feel slightly rough to the touch because of the "intaglio" printing process. Genuine currency has raised ink.
- Check the 10. Does the color shift from copper to green when you tilt it?
- Find the ghost. Hold it to a light bulb. Is Hamilton's watermark there?
- Look for the line. Can you see the plastic security thread that says "USA TEN"?
- Use a magnifying glass. Can you read the microprinting on the borders?
Making the most of your cash:
- Store it flat. To keep bills in "collectible" condition, avoid folding them. Creases lower the value to numismatists.
- Check for stars. Always peek at the serial number for that little star. It’s an easy way to maybe find a bill worth $15 or $20 instead of $10.
- Watch the redesigns. The Treasury is always planning new security updates. Keeping an older, crisp bill today might mean having a cool historical artifact in twenty years.
- Understand the "Series." The year on the bill (like Series 2017) doesn't mean it was printed that year. It means that was the year the Secretary of the Treasury or the Treasurer of the United States started their term or a new design was adopted.