Obsolete denominations of United States currency

This article is about denominations of the United States dollar that are no longer circulated. For denominations that were planned but never circulated, see Canceled denominations of United States currency.

The United States has produced several coins and banknotes of its dollar which no longer circulate or have been disused. Many of these were removed for specific reasons such as inflation reducing their value, a lack of demand, or being too similar to another denomination.

Treasury notes

The U.S. Dollar has numerous discontinued denominations, particularly high denomination bills, issued before and in 1934 in six denominations ranging from $500 to $100,000. Although still legal tender, most are in the hands of collectors and museums. The reverse designs featured abstract scroll-work with ornate denomination identifiers. With the exception of the $100,000 bill, these bills ceased production in the 1940s, and were recalled in 1969. Of these, the $100,000 was printed only as a Series 1934 gold certificate and was only used for internal government transactions. The United States also issued fractional currency for a brief time in the 1860s and 1870s, in several denominations each less than a dollar.

Denomination	Obverse	Reverse	Portrait
3 cent note	File:3cf-big.jpg	File:3cb-big.jpg	George Washington
5 cent note	File:5cf-big.jpg	File:5cb-big.jpg	Thomas Jefferson
10 cent note	File:1874 United States Fractional Currency Ten Cent Note, Fifth Issue (obverse).jpg	File:1874 United States Fractional Currency Ten Cent Note, Fifth Issue (reverse).jpg	William M. Meredith
15 cent note	File:15cf-big.jpg	File:15cb-big.jpg	Bust of Columbia
25 cent note	File:25cf-big.jpg	File:25cb-big.jpg	Robert Walker
50 cent note	File:50cf-big.jpg	File:US 50 Cents note, 50cb-big.jpg	William Crawford
$500 bill	File:500 USD note; series of 1934; obverse.jpg	File:500 USD note; series of 1934; reverse.jpg	William McKinley
$1,000 bill	File:1000 USD note; series of 1934; obverse.jpg	File:1000 USD note; series of 1934; reverse.jpg	Grover Cleveland
$2,000 bill	File:Third Bank of the US $2000, Dec 15, 1840, obverse.jpg	File:Third Bank of the US $2000, Dec 15, 1840, reverse.jpg	Various historical figures
$5,000 bill	File:US $5000 1934 Federal Reserve Note.jpg	File:US $5000 1934 Federal Reserve Note Reverse.jpg	James Madison
$10,000 bill	File:10000 USD note; series of 1934; obverse.jpg	File:10000 USD note; series of 1934; reverse.jpg	Salmon P. Chase
$100,000 bill	File:US100000dollarsbillobverse.jpg	File:US100000dollarsbillreverse.jpg	Woodrow Wilson

Coinage

There have been numerous coins throughout the United States dollar's history that no longer circulate. Some, like the half-cent coin were removed due to inflation reducing their value while others such as the two-cent piece were removed due to a lack of demand. Note that this table shows the latest status before the coin denomination was rendered obsolete.

Denomination	Obverse	Reverse	Weight	Diameter	Material	Edge	Issued
Half cent ½¢	File:1851 half cent obv.jpg	File:1851 half cent rev.jpg	5.443 g (0.1920 oz)	23.5 mm (0.93 in)	100% Cu	plain	1793–1857
Large cent 1¢	File:1855 cent obv.jpg	File:1855 cent rev.jpg	10.89 g (0.384 oz)	29 mm (1.1 in)	100% Cu	plain	1793–1857
Two-cent piece 2¢	File:1865 Two Cent Obverse.png	File:1865 Two Cent Reverse.png	6.22 g (0.219 oz)	23.00 mm (0.906 in)	95% Cu, 5% Sn and Zn	plain	1864–1873
Three-cent nickel 3¢	File:1887-6 3CN (obv).jpg	File:1887-6 3CN (rev).jpg	1.94 g (0.068 oz)	17.9 mm (0.70 in)	75% Cu, 25% Ni	plain	1865–1889
Trime 3¢	File:1851-O 3CS (obv).jpg	File:1851-O 3CS (rev).jpg	0.8 g (0.028 oz)	14 mm (0.55 in)	90% Ag, 10% Cu	plain	1851–1873
Half dime 5¢	File:1857 seated liberty half dime obverse.jpg	File:1857 seated liberty half dime reverse.jpg	1.24 g (0.044 oz)	15.5 mm (0.61 in)	90% Ag, 10% Cu	Reeded	1792–1873
Twenty-cent piece 20¢	File:1876-CC 20C (obv).jpg	File:1876-CC 20C (rev).jpg	5 g (0.18 oz)	22 mm (0.87 in)	90% Ag, 10% Cu	Plain	1875–1878
Gold dollar $1	File:1875 gold dollar obv.jpg	File:1875 gold dollar rev.jpg	1.7 g (0.060 oz)	14.3 mm (0.56 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1849–1889α
Quarter eagle $2.50	File:1929 quarter eagle obv.jpg	File:1929 quarter eagle rev.jpg	4.18 g (0.147 oz)	18 mm (0.71 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1795–1929α
Three-dollar piece $3	File:1874 Three-dollar piece obverse.jpg	File:1874 Three-dollar piece reverse.jpg	5.01 g (0.177 oz)	20.5 mm (0.81 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1853–1889
Half eagle $5	File:1912 half eagle obv.jpg	File:1912 half eagle rev.jpg	8.36 g (0.295 oz)	21.6 mm (0.85 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1795–1929β
Eagle $10	File:1908 eagle obv.jpg	File:1908 eagle rev.jpg	16.7 g (0.59 oz)	26.8 mm (1.06 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1795–1933β
Double eagle $20	File:1912 double eagle obv.jpg	File:1912 double eagle rev.jpg	35 g (1.2 oz)	34 mm (1.3 in)	90% Au, 10% Cu	Reeded	1849–1932γ

Notes

^α Some Early United States commemorative coins were minted in this denomination.

^β Some Modern United States commemorative coins are minted in this denomination.

^γ The United States government claims that it never officially released the 1933 double eagle. Examples of the coin were minted in that year, but were never released to circulation following Executive Order 6102.