How are the people on dollar bills selected? Specifically why is Frankilin on the $100 when he wasn't a prez?

Question

Chase was also on the 10,000 bill. Anyone have any interesting insight on this?

Answer 1

No one ever said you had to be a president on a $100. Better Ben Franklin than some loser president like Jimmy Carter or Rutherford B. Hayes. Actually Ben Franklin was one of the greatest Americans and one of the most important founding fathers, and certainly the most world-famous American of the early U.S. -- he deserves the honor.

The selection process isn't exactly set in stone -- once in a great while Congress decides to authorize a change in the currency persona, and then they don't like to mess with it for decades after that.

Answer 2

For the direct question of Franklin. I personally think that he certainly deserves a place of memory. Without Franklin the French wouldn't have helped us. Without the French, you would be British not American.

Answer 3

Nor is Hamilton, our first Secretary of the Treasury. You don't have to be president to be on the money, just dead for two years. It requires an act of Congress to authorize an image change.