Why do they put Presidents on US Currency?

Question

Is it for commemorative purposes or some other reason. Is there a method to the madness!

Answer 1

Gunslinger, you ask an interesting question.

The reason for all the current faces you see is because of one man: Andrew W. Mellon, who was the longest serving Secretary of the Treasury in American history (1921 -- 1932).

Before Mellon, all sorts of people were featured on American currency -- for example, Martha Washington, the Native American Chief, Cochise -- all sorts of folks. But Secretary Mellon wanted to make the currency more uniform in appearance, and so settled on dead presidents instead. He did make some exceptions, though.

He also wanted to honor his personal heroes, and did. Mellon was a HUGE fan of the first Sec of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, and Mellon wanted him on the ten-spot. He also admired Franklin and Salmon P. Chase (Lincoln's Attorney General and later Supreme Court chief justice). So he also assigned bills for them as well.

In short, Gunslinger, the faces you see on the bills today were the important Presidents and noteworthy Americans, as decided by Andrew W. Mellon. And while they can always be changed, the fact is, people have grown accustomed to these faces, and they probably won't be changed. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Actually, President's are not on all US Currency. Franklin, who is on the $100 note never held the office. Neither did Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill. He was the first Treasury of the Secretary.

Salmon P. Chase, Treasury Secretary during the Civil War was on the $10,000 bill, which no longer circulates.

The Secretary of the Treasury is responsible for and has full discretion on currency design including the portraits. A committee on portrait design decided that Presidents have more prominence in society and are more recognizable.

I hope that helps.

Answer 3

Because somebody seems to think that the Presidents are important. They aren't that important. We should probably put pictures of the Supreme Court Dictators on the currency instead.
(And by the way, neither Alexander Hamilton ($10 bill) nor Benjamin Franklin ($100 bill) were Presidents.)

Answer 4

It usually is a way to honor Presidents that have had a significant impact on U.S. history. Which means that George Bush will never have his likeness on a coin.

PS - In God We Trust is to remind us that this nation was founded on European-Christian principles and values, so it reflex American culture. Too bad for you non-Christians who don't like it - and I'm a non-believer.

Answer 5

it's that the Almighty provide peaceout

kind regard jason blessing nortey

Answer 6

dunno. at least they don't put bad ones on. like reagan. and whats up w/ the "in god we trust" ? im not christian.