You’ve probably pulled one out of an ATM a thousand times without really looking at it. That face staring back at you, with the wild hair and the intense, slightly scowling expression, is Andrew Jackson. He’s been the face of the $20 bill for nearly a century.
But there’s a massive irony sitting in your wallet. Jackson actually hated paper money. He spent a good chunk of his presidency trying to destroy the very central banking system that now prints his face on cotton-linen scraps.
Most people just assume the guys on our money were all "Founding Fathers" or beloved heroes. With Jackson, it's way more complicated. He wasn’t a Founding Father. He was a polarizing, rough-around-the-edges general who became the seventh U.S. President. Today, his presence on the twenty is the subject of heated political battles, delays, and a looming redesign that everyone keeps asking about.
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Why is Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill anyway?
Honestly, the "why" is a bit of a mystery. The Treasury Department isn't always super chatty about why they picked certain people back in the day.
In 1928, the government decided to standardize the size of our bills. Before that, money was physically larger—think "horse blankets." When they shrunk the bills down, they swapped portraits around. Andrew Jackson replaced Grover Cleveland on the $20 bill. Why Jackson? Some historians think it was to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his 1828 election. He was seen as a "man of the people," the first president who didn't come from the wealthy elite of Virginia or Massachusetts.
He was the "common man" hero.
But here is the kicker: Jackson thought gold and silver ("specie") were the only real forms of money. He famously vetoed the recharter of the Second Bank of the United States, basically killing the central bank of his era. To him, paper notes were a way for rich bankers to cheat regular farmers.
The Controversy: Why people want him gone
Jackson’s legacy isn't just about banking wars. It’s much darker. He is the architect of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This led directly to the Trail of Tears, where thousands of Native Americans—Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw—were forced off their ancestral lands. Many died from disease, exposure, and starvation during the trek west.
Because of this, many people feel it's offensive to honor him on the most widely used bill in circulation.
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Then there's the slavery aspect. Jackson was a wealthy planter who owned over 150 enslaved people at his estate, The Hermitage. He wasn't just a "man of his time" who happened to own slaves; he was known for being particularly harsh and actively fought against abolitionist movements.
Is Harriet Tubman replacing him?
You've probably heard the rumors. Back in 2016, the Obama administration announced that Harriet Tubman would replace Jackson on the front of the $20 bill.
She’s a powerhouse. Born into slavery, she escaped and then went back—multiple times—to lead dozens of others to freedom via the Underground Railroad. She was a scout and a spy for the Union Army. Putting her on the bill would make her the first Black person and the first woman in over a century to appear on U.S. paper currency.
So, where is she?
The project has been stuck in a weird kind of bureaucratic limbo.
- The Trump Era: The redesign was deprioritized. Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested the delay was for technical security reasons to prevent counterfeiting.
- The Biden Era: The administration said they were "speeding up" the process.
- The Current Reality: As of 2026, the official word from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is that the new $20 note is scheduled for a 2030 release.
The government doesn't just swap a picture and hit "print." They have to bake in high-tech security features like 3D security ribbons and color-shifting ink. Plus, there is a specific order to the redesigns to stay ahead of counterfeiters. The $10 bill is actually next in line for 2026, followed by the $50 in 2028. The $20 has to wait its turn.
What will the new bill look like?
When the redesign finally drops, Jackson won't be completely gone. The plan is to put Harriet Tubman on the front (the "face") and move Andrew Jackson to the back of the bill. He’ll likely be part of a scene depicting the White House or another historical monument.
It’s a compromise that satisfies almost no one. Critics of Jackson want him removed entirely. Fans of Jackson—or those who dislike "identity politics" in currency—don't want him moved at all.
Who else has been on the $20 bill?
We haven't always looked at Jackson's mop of hair. If you had a time machine and some cash, you'd see different faces:
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- Grover Cleveland: He was the man on the $20 bill from 1914 until 1928.
- Alexander Hamilton: Long before he was a Broadway star or the face of the $10, he appeared on early $20 bills.
- George Washington: He’s everywhere now, but he was once the face of the $20 too.
- Liberty: In the mid-1800s, it was common to see allegorical figures like Lady Liberty or scenes of Pocahontas on currency.
Actionable Insights: What to do with your 20s
Check your wallet. Most $20 bills you carry are the "Series 2004" or later designs with the green and peach background.
If you happen to find a bill that looks "old"—maybe it has a smaller portrait and no color—don't just spend it at a vending machine. While they are still legal tender, some older series or bills with "star" symbols in the serial number can be worth more than $20 to collectors.
Keep an eye on the Treasury announcements over the next two years. The public education campaign for the new $10 bill starts soon, and that will give us the first real look at the "new generation" of American money that Harriet Tubman will eventually join.
To stay ahead of the curve, you can monitor the official U.S. Currency Education Program website. They release the specific security features and "look" of new bills about 18 months before they hit the streets. Knowing what to look for isn't just a history lesson; it's how you make sure you aren't getting handed a counterfeit.