Who's On The $100 Dollar Bill

Alright, gather 'round, folks. Let's talk about that dapper gent on the Benjamin, the one who's always there when you need to buy a round of drinks or tip your barista. You know him, the man on the $100 bill.

Meet Mr. Franklin

Now, you might be thinking, "Who's this fancy guy with the fancy hair and fancy clothes?" Well, that's Benjamin Franklin, one of America's founding fathers. He was a writer, a scientist, a diplomat, and, as it turns out, the face of our largest bill.

Imagine him as the ultimate multitasker. He's the guy at the office who's always juggling projects, the one who's got a knack for fixing the copier, and the one who remembers everyone's birthday. That's Ben. He was a jack of all trades, and now he's the face of our most valuable currency.

From Print to Plastic

You might be wondering, "How did Ben end up on the $100 bill?" Well, it wasn't always him. The first $100 bill featured Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury under Abraham Lincoln. But let's face it, Ben's got more street cred. He's the guy who flew a kite in a lightning storm, for crying out loud!

In 1928, the Treasury decided to give Ben the spot he deserved. They put him on the new $100 bill, and he's been there ever since. Well, except for a brief redesign in the 1990s, but that's a story for another time.

Ben's Many Faces

You might think you know Ben from the $100 bill, but did you know he's got a whole other life on the back? That's right, he's not just a pretty face. On the back, you'll find an engraving of Independence Hall, the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed. It's like Ben's got a little piece of history tucked away in his pocket.

But that's not all. If you look closely, you'll see a whole bunch of tiny Ben Franklins hiding in the engraving. It's like a game of Where's Waldo, but with more Founding Fathers. They're called "hidden portraits," and they're a fun little detail that makes Ben's bill a bit more interesting.

Ben's Big Comeback

Remember when we talked about that redesign in the 1990s? Well, it didn't go so well. The new bill was hard to tell apart from the old one, and counterfeiters had a field day. So, in 2013, the Treasury decided to give Ben a makeover.

The new Ben is a bit more modern, with more security features to keep the counterfeiters at bay. He's got a 3D security ribbon, a bell in an inkwell, and a whole bunch of other fancy features. It's like Ben traded in his powdered wig for a high-tech helmet.

Ben in the Wild

So, there you have it. That's the story of the man on the $100 bill. But what about when you're out and about, using Ben to buy your coffee or tip your server? Well, here are a few fun facts to keep in mind:

• There are about 15 billion $100 bills in circulation worldwide. That's a lot of Bens!
• Most of those bills are overseas. Americans only hold about 13% of all $100 bills.
• If you lined up all the $100 bills in circulation, they'd wrap around the Earth more than five times.

Pretty impressive, huh? So next time you pull out a Benjamin, remember, you're holding a piece of history. You're holding the face of America's multitasking, lightning-defying, founding father. You're holding the man who's always there when you need him most.

Now, if only he could help us figure out how to fold a fitted sheet...