The face on the modern United States one hundred dollar bill belongs to Benjamin Franklin. Unlike most other figures honored on American paper currency, Franklin never served as president. Instead, his spot on the nation's highest-denomination circulating banknote celebrates his vast legacy as a Founding Father, scientist, printer, and diplomat.
The story behind his iconic portrait involves a deliberate choice by Treasury officials, a famous painting by a master artist, and decades of design evolution that transformed how money looks and feels.
Who Is on the 100 Dollar Bill?
Benjamin Franklin has graced the obverse (front) of the one-hundred-dollar Federal Reserve note since 1914. Before Franklin became the permanent fixture of the note, the $100 denomination featured various historical figures. During the late 19th century, notes often featured statesmen and military leaders, including Abraham Lincoln and James Madison.
When the Federal Reserve system restructured currency issuance in the early 20th century, Secretary of the Treasury William G. McAdoo selected Franklin to anchor the $100 bill. Because Franklin helped shape early American monetary theory, colonial paper money production, and international diplomacy, officials deemed him a fitting symbol for high-value commerce.
The Origin of the Iconic Portrait
The portrait used on the bill doesn't stem from a photograph, since photography didn't exist during Franklin's lifetime. Instead, engravers based the image on an oil painting created by the Scottish artist David Martin in 1767.
Martin painted Franklin while the statesman lived in London acting as a colonial agent. In the portrait, Franklin wears a velvet coat and white neck ruff, gazing off to the side with an expression of sharp intellect. Bureau of Engraving and Printing artists adapted this specific likeness because it captured Franklin at the height of his intellectual powers and diplomatic influence in Europe.
Translating Canvas to Currency
Moving a painted portrait onto a metal engraving plate required painstaking hand-etching. Master engravers had to translate brushstrokes into fine lines and dots that could hold up against high-volume commercial printing presses.
- The Master Engraver: Artists like Charles Skinner and later Bureau specialists refined the lines to ensure the portrait reproduced cleanly on specialized cotton-linen paper.
- The Shift in Orientation: Early 20th-century versions showed Franklin in profile or three-quarter view. Over subsequent redesigns, engravers adjusted the framing to give his face greater prominence.
- Micro-Details: Modern iterations incorporate microscopic text hidden within the borders of the portrait coat, turning artistic heritage into a functional barrier against counterfeiters.
Why Benjamin Franklin Instead of a President?
A common misconception suggests that all figures on U.S. paper money must be former presidents. In reality, only a handful of individuals featured on standard Federal Reserve notes held the office. Alexander Hamilton, who appears on the ten-dollar bill, and Benjamin Franklin are the two most prominent non-presidents on modern circulating currency.
Franklin earned his place through a combination of civic and scientific achievements that directly impacted the economic foundations of the colonies. He operated a successful printing business in Philadelphia, where he printed colonial currency and authored essays on economic prudence, such as Poor Richard's Almanack. His experiments with electricity and practical inventions like the lightning rod made him an international celebrity, cementing his status as a pillar of American ingenuity.
Evolution of the 100 Dollar Design
The visual presentation of the $100 bill changed dramatically over the decades to incorporate better security and artistic updates.
The 1929 Standardization
Prior to 1929, U.S. notes varied wildly in size and artistic layout. That year, the U.S. government shrank the physical dimensions of paper money by about thirty percent and standardized the portraits. Franklin's portrait became permanently anchored to the $100 note design.
The 1990s Counterfeit Measures
As photocopying and desktop publishing technology advanced, the Treasury introduced major design overhauls. In 1990, series updates added a metallic security thread embedded in the paper and microprinting around Franklin's portrait. A subsequent 1996 redesign enlarged the portrait slightly and shifted it off-center to accommodate a watermark portrait of Franklin visible when held up to the light.
The 2013 High-Tech Redesign
The most dramatic visual change arrived with the Series 2009A note issued in 2013. This version kept Franklin's classic portrait but added advanced security features designed by the U.S. Currency Education Program:
- A blue 3D security ribbon woven into the paper featuring shifting images of bells and the number 100.
- A color-changing bell inside a copper inkwell that shifts from copper to green when the bill is tilted.
- High-contrast background details that maintain clarity while frustrating digital scanners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Benjamin Franklin ever a U.S. President?
No. Franklin never served as president. He was a printer, scientist, inventor, philosopher, postmaster, and diplomat. His face appears on the currency to honor his massive contributions to the founding of the nation.
Who painted the original portrait of Franklin on the bill?
The Scottish artist David Martin painted the original portrait in London in 1767. Engravers at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing adapted Martin's oil painting for use on paper currency.
What building is on the back of the 100 dollar bill?
Independence Hall in Philadelphia is featured on the reverse side of the $100 bill. On older series, the illustration showed the front of the building, while modern bills show the back view facing the courtyard.
Are there other non-presidents on U.S. money?
Yes. Alexander Hamilton appears on the $100 bill's smaller counterpart, the ten-dollar bill, and was also never a U.S. president. Historical notes have featured other figures, but Hamilton and Franklin remain the primary non-presidents on modern circulating bills.
