Who is on a $500 dollar bill?

Who’s on the $500 Bill? A Forgotten Face of American Currency

While most of us have never held one, the $500 bill once played a role in high-stakes financial transactions across the United States. William McKinley, the 25th president, is the face stamped on the bill’s most recognizable version.

But it wasn’t always him. Back in 1918, when the $500 note first appeared, it actually featured Chief Justice John Marshall. Over time, the design evolved, and McKinley—who served from 1897 until his assassination in 1901—became the figure associated with the note by the time it was last printed in 1945.

Despite its high value, the bill never gained widespread use among the general public. It was primarily used for large transactions between banks and financial institutions. By 1969, the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury decided to discontinue the note, citing lack of demand and growing concerns about its potential use in illicit activities—similar to the even rarer $1,000 and $10,000 bills.

Still, the $500 bill didn’t vanish completely. The Treasury acknowledges that many of these notes remain in circulation—though not in wallets or cash registers. Today, they’re mostly held by collectors, investors, or tucked away in family heirlooms. In fact, a well-preserved McKinley bill can fetch far more than its face value at auction.

Though no longer printed, the $500 bill stands as a reminder of a different era in American finance—one where large-denomination currency made sense in a cash-heavy economy. Now, it’s a historical curiosity, bearing the quiet legacy of a president and a nation’s evolving relationship with money.