You’ve probably pulled a twenty out of an ATM a thousand times without really looking at it. Most of us just see the green paper, the number 20, and that familiar, somewhat stern face with the wild hair. But if you stop and actually stare at it, you’re looking at Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States.
It’s kind of ironic.
Jackson actually hated paper money. He was a "hard money" guy who thought gold and silver were the only legitimate currencies, yet here he is, plastered on one of the most circulated notes in the world. He’s been there since 1928, when he replaced Grover Cleveland. Why the switch happened isn't exactly a matter of public record—the Treasury Department basically just decided it was time for a change and Jackson had the "fame" factor.
But things are changing. Or they’re supposed to be. If you’ve followed the news over the last decade, you know there’s been a massive, sometimes political, and very public push to get Harriet Tubman on the bill instead. It’s a saga involving three different presidential administrations, redesign committees, and some pretty intense debates about how we represent American history.
Why Andrew Jackson is on the $20 bill in the first place
The decision to put Jackson on the bill back in the late 1920s wasn’t some deep philosophical statement. Honestly, it was mostly utilitarian. Before 1928, American currency was physically larger—roughly the size of a modern "large-size" banknote you might see in a museum. When the Treasury moved to the smaller size we use today, they also standardized the portraits.
Jackson was a populist. He was a war hero. In 1928, people didn't view him through the same lens we do today. Back then, he represented the "common man" and the expansion of the American frontier. He was the hero of the Battle of New Orleans.
However, his legacy is... complicated. To put it lightly.
He was the primary architect of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which led to the Trail of Tears. Thousands of Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw people died during forced migrations. This is a massive reason why many people today find his presence on the $20 bill problematic. It’s also why his face has become a flashpoint for cultural debates. If you talk to historians like Daniel Feller, who edited Jackson's papers, they’ll tell you he was a man of intense contradictions—defender of the Union, but also a slave owner who defied the Supreme Court to push Indigenous people off their land.
The Harriet Tubman transition: What’s actually happening?
In 2015, a campaign called "Women on 20s" went viral. They wanted a woman on the $20 bill by the centennial of the 19th Amendment in 2020. They held an online poll, and Harriet Tubman—the legendary conductor of the Underground Railroad—won by a landslide.
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Then-Treasury Secretary Jack Lew took notice.
In April 2016, Lew officially announced that Tubman would replace Jackson on the front of the $20 bill. The plan was to move Jackson to the back, perhaps alongside a depiction of the White House. It was a huge deal. It would have made Tubman the first woman in over a century to appear on U.S. paper currency (Martha Washington was on a $1 Silver Certificate back in the 1880s).
Then politics happened.
When the administration changed in 2017, the project slowed down. Steve Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary at the time, suggested that the primary focus was on security features to prevent counterfeiting, not portrait changes. He famously said the $20 bill redesign wouldn't happen until at least 2028. People were frustrated. It felt like the Tubman bill was being buried in red tape.
Fast forward to 2021. The Biden administration announced they were "speeding up" the process to get Tubman on the bill. But "speeding up" in government terms is still incredibly slow. You can't just hit "print" on a new design.
Why does it take so long to change a bill?
Counterfeiting. That’s the short answer.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) works on a "staggered" release schedule. The $10 bill is actually next in line for a redesign, scheduled for 2026. After that comes the $5, and then—finally—the $20. According to the current Bureau of Engraving and Printing timeline, we likely won't see the new $20 bill with Harriet Tubman in our wallets until 2030.
It’s a massive technical undertaking. Every new bill needs:
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- Advanced security threads that change color.
- 3D security ribbons.
- Raised printing that feels "rough" to the touch.
- Complex watermarks that are nearly impossible to replicate perfectly.
The $20 is the most frequently counterfeited bill within the United States. Because of that, the Secret Service and the Treasury are incredibly paranoid about getting the security features right. They aren't just changing a picture; they are re-engineering the most circulated piece of paper in the American economy.
The symbolism of Harriet Tubman
Think about the shift in narrative here.
Jackson represents a specific era of American expansionism and federal power. Tubman represents a grassroots fight for freedom. She was born into slavery, escaped, and then went back—at least 13 times—to rescue roughly 70 people. During the Civil War, she was a scout, a spy, and the first woman to lead an armed assault (the Combahee River Raid), which liberated over 700 enslaved people.
Putting her on the $20 bill isn't just about "diversity." It’s about a fundamental shift in what we value as a "hero."
It’s also worth noting that the $20 bill is the workhorse of the American economy. It’s what you give a waiter, what you use at a bodega, and what you get from the ATM. Putting Tubman on that specific denomination puts her legacy into the hands of every single American, every single day.
Common misconceptions about the $20 bill
A lot of people think Jackson is being "erased" or "canceled."
Actually, the 2016 proposal didn't remove him entirely; it just moved him to the back of the bill. It’s sort of a compromise. Whether the final 2030 design keeps him on the reverse side is still a bit up in the air, but the BEP usually keeps some historical continuity.
Another myth? That Alexander Hamilton was supposed to be the one to leave.
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There was actually a plan to take Hamilton off the $10 bill. But then a little Broadway show called Hamilton became a global phenomenon. Suddenly, Alexander Hamilton was the coolest Founding Father, and the public outcry to keep him on the $10 was so loud that the Treasury shifted their focus to the $20 instead. Jackson, who had fewer vocal defenders and a much more controversial record with the Trail of Tears, became the natural candidate for replacement.
Identifying a real $20 bill (The Jackson version)
Since we’re going to be stuck with Andrew Jackson for at least another four or five years, you should probably know how to tell if the one in your pocket is real. Counterfeiters love the $20 because it’s high enough value to be worth the effort but low enough that cashiers don't always check it with a magnifying glass.
Look for these three things:
- The Color-Shifting Ink: Tilt the bill. The number "20" in the bottom right corner should shift from green to copper. If it stays one color, you’ve got a problem.
- The Watermark: Hold it up to a light. You should see a faint ghost-image of Andrew Jackson on the right side. It should be visible from both sides of the paper.
- The Security Thread: There’s a thin vertical strip embedded in the paper to the left of the portrait. It says "USA TWENTY" and has a small flag. If you put it under a UV light, that strip glows green.
What’s next for your wallet?
We are currently in a weird "waiting room" period of American currency history.
The $20 bill we use today is technically the "Series 2004" design, which added subtle colors like green, peach, and blue to the background. Before that, bills were strictly black and green. The next major leap will be the Harriet Tubman series.
If you are a collector or just someone interested in history, keep an eye on the Advanced Counterfeit Deterrence (ACD) Steering Committee. They are the ones who actually pull the strings on when these bills drop. They’ve already confirmed that the new $10 is coming in 2026, which will be our first real look at the "new generation" of American money. That design will likely give us a huge hint about what the Tubman $20 will look like—the font, the texture, and the security tech.
Basically, for the next few years, Andrew Jackson is staying put. But the wheels of the Treasury are turning, albeit slowly. By the end of the decade, the face of American debt and commerce will look very different.
Actionable Insights for the Curious:
- Check your "Star Notes": If you have a $20 bill with a small star at the end of the serial number, keep it. These are replacement notes issued when a printing error occurs, and they can be worth more than face value to collectors.
- Visit the BEP: If you're ever in Washington D.C. or Fort Worth, Texas, you can actually tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. You can see millions of dollars being printed right in front of you. It’s one of the few places you can see the $20 bill production process from start to finish.
- Track the Redesign: Keep tabs on the U.S. Currency Education Program. They provide the most up-to-date releases on when new designs are finalized. They even have "training" materials for cashiers that show exactly where the security features are hidden.
- Understand the Market: If you find older $20 bills (like the ones with the small portraits from before 1998), don't just spend them at a gas station. While they are still legal tender, some "Small Head" Jacksons in crisp condition can fetch a premium from currency hobbyists.