The $50 bill is a Federal Reserve Note valued at 5,000 cents (equivalent to 1,000 nickels, 500 dimes, 200 quarters, 50 $1 bills, ten $5 bills, or five $10 bills). Like the $20 bill, this denomination has always been a Federal Reserve Note since 1933, when the Executive Order 6102 became law that made it illegal to possess gold.
All $50 bills have always been printed with COPE serial numbers since August 1976, but the pre-1976 conventional notes remained in circulation through at least the early 1980s.
On the front is a portrait of Ulysses S. Grant and on the back is the United States Capitol.
Pre-Series 1977
Series year | First delivery date | Last delivery date |
---|---|---|
1928 | June 13, 1929 | N/A |
1928 (Gold Certificate) | August 21, 1929 | October 26, 1931 |
1928A | N/A (probably 1930) | December 10, 1934 |
1934 | March 9, 1935 | N/A |
1934A | N/A (probably 1938) | N/A |
1934B | July 11, 1946 | N/A |
1934C | August 12, 1947 | N/A |
1934D | July 21, 1950 | January 11, 1951 |
1950 | February 21, 1951 | August 28, 1953 |
1950A | December 7, 1954 | August 20, 1957 |
1950B | October 14, 1957 | December 8, 1960 |
1950C | July 12, 1961 | December 4, 1962 |
1950D | July 19, 1963 | August 27, 1965 |
1950E | September 10, 1965 | November 30, 1965 |
1963A | November 8, 1966 | July 1, 1969 |
1969 | July 9, 1969 | September 20, 1972 |
1969A | August 11, 1971 | August 1, 1973 |
1969B | September 5, 1972 | December 5, 1973 |
1969C | November 2, 1972 | December 11, 1974 |
1974 | August 29, 1974 | January 6, 1981 (last printed October 1979) |
$50 bills are usually delivered to Federal Reserve Banks about 1-3 months after being printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
As of 1980, all Series 1974 notes were still in circulation, and they didn't become rare until about 1983.
Series 1977
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | December 1978 – November 1981 |
New York | August 1978 – October 1981 |
Philadelphia | February 1979 – April 1981 |
Cleveland | November 1978 – May 1981 |
Richmond | January 1979 – January 1982 |
Atlanta | December 1978 – February 1981 |
Chicago | September 1978 – January 1982 |
St. Louis | October 1978 – October 1981 |
Minneapolis | February 1979 – February 1981 |
Kansas City | January 1979 – April 1981 |
Dallas | October 1979 – January 1982 |
San Francisco | October 1978 – November 1981 |
Trivia | |
|
Series 1981
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | May 1983 – March 1984 |
New York | February 1982 – May 1984 |
Philadelphia | April 1982 |
Cleveland | February 1982 – April 1984 |
Richmond | January 1982 – January 1984 |
Atlanta | February 1983 – March 1984 |
Chicago | January 1982 – May 1984 |
St. Louis | March 1983 – March 1984 |
Minneapolis | May 1982 – October 1983 |
Kansas City | March 1982 – October 1984 |
Dallas | January 1982 – April 1984 |
San Francisco | May 1982 – March 1984 |
Trivia | |
Signatures: Angela M. Buchanan and Donald T. Regan From 1984 to 1986, all $50 bills labeled "Series 1981" were widely used in circulation. |
Series 1981A
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | October 1984 – February 1985 |
New York | November 1984 – March 1985 |
Philadelphia | N/A |
Cleveland | October 1984 – January 1985 |
Richmond | October 1984 – October 1985 |
Atlanta | October 1984 |
Chicago | January 1985 – September 1985 |
St. Louis | November 1984 |
Minneapolis | February 1985 |
Kansas City | October 1984 |
Dallas | February 1985 |
San Francisco | November 1984 – September 1985 |
Trivia | |
|
Series 1985
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | October 1985 – May 1989 |
New York | January 1986 – May 1989 |
Philadelphia | August 1987 |
Cleveland | November 1985 – June 1989 |
Richmond | October 1985 – April 1989 |
Atlanta | October 1985 – October 1986 |
Chicago | January 1986 – March 1988 |
St. Louis | October 1985 – February 1988 |
Minneapolis | January 1986 – April 1989 |
Kansas City | November 1985 – February 1988 |
Dallas | March 1986 – April 1989 |
San Francisco | November 1985 – January 1988 |
Trivia | |
Signatures: Katherine Davalos Ortega and James A. Baker III |
Series 1988
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | April 1990 |
New York | March 1990 – December 1990 |
Philadelphia | N/A |
Cleveland | June 1989 – July 1990 |
Richmond | August 1990 |
Atlanta | N/A |
Chicago | July 1989 – September 1990 |
St. Louis | N/A |
Minneapolis | N/A |
Kansas City | June 1989 – August 1990 |
Dallas | N/A |
San Francisco | June 1989 |
Trivia | |
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Series 1990
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | February 1992 – December 1992 |
New York | November 1991 – September 1993 |
Philadelphia | March 1992 – November 1992 |
Cleveland | March 1992 – May 1994 |
Richmond | April 1992 – December 1992 |
Atlanta | N/A |
Chicago | March 1992 – July 1993 |
St. Louis | April 1992 – July 1993 |
Minneapolis | March 1992 – December 1992 |
Kansas City | May 1992 – December 1992 |
Dallas | November 1992 |
San Francisco | March 1992 – May 1992 |
Trivia | |
Signatures: Catalina Vasquez Villalpando and Nicholas F. Brady |
Series 1993
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | August 1994 – June 1996 |
New York | July 1994 – April 1997 |
Philadelphia | N/A |
Cleveland | May 1994 – March 1996 |
Richmond | June 1994 – April 1996 |
Atlanta | N/A |
Chicago | June 1994 – August 1996 |
St. Louis | July 1994 |
Minneapolis | N/A |
Kansas City | October 1994 – March 1996 |
Dallas | April 1996 |
San Francisco | N/A |
Trivia | |
Signatures: Mary Ellen Withrow and Lloyd Bentsen |
Series 1996
File:$50-B (1997).jpg File:$50-D (1997).jpg File:$50-L (1999).jpg
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | September 1997 – September 1999 |
New York | July 1997 – September 1999 |
Philadelphia | August 1997 – August 1999 |
Cleveland | September 1997 – August 1999 |
Richmond | February 1998 – August 1999 |
Atlanta | October 1997 – July 1999 |
Chicago | August 1997 – August 1999 |
St. Louis | December 1997 – July 1999 |
Minneapolis | September 1997 – March 1999 |
Kansas City | September 1997 – March 1999 |
Dallas | April 1998 – March 1999 |
San Francisco | September 1997 – February 1999 |
Trivia | |
|
Series 2001
File:$50-B (2002).jpg File:$50-E (2004).jpg File:$50 (1997 Reverse).jpg
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | November 2002 |
New York | October 2002 – November 2003 |
Philadelphia | November 2002 – November 2003 |
Cleveland | November 2002 – November 2003 |
Richmond | November 2002 – February 2004 |
Atlanta | November 2002 – November 2003 |
Chicago | December 2002 – December 2003 |
St. Louis | November 2002 |
Minneapolis | November 2002 |
Kansas City | December 2002 |
Dallas | December 2002 |
San Francisco | December 2002 – December 2003 |
Trivia | |
Signatures: Rosario Marin and Paul O'Neill |
Series 2004
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | August 2004 |
New York | August 2004 – August 2005 |
Philadelphia | August 2004 – January 2005 |
Cleveland | August 2004 – December 2004 |
Richmond | August 2004 – October 2005 |
Atlanta | August 2004 – November 2004 |
Chicago | March 2004 – October 2004 |
St. Louis | August 2004 – January 2005 |
Minneapolis | August 2004 – October 2004 |
Kansas City | August 2004 – December 2004 |
Dallas | July 2004 – December 2004 |
San Francisco | July 2004 – November 2004 |
Trivia | |
|
Series 2004A
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | September 2005 |
New York | September 2005 – February 2007 |
Philadelphia | N/A |
Cleveland | N/A |
Richmond | September 2005 – November 2006 |
Atlanta | October 2006 – November 2006 |
Chicago | October 2006 |
St. Louis | N/A |
Minneapolis | N/A |
Kansas City | November 2006 |
Dallas | N/A |
San Francisco | February 2007 |
Trivia | |
Signatures: Anna Escobedo Cabral and John W. Snow |
Series 2006
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | March 2007 – January 2011 |
New York | January 2007 – January 2009 |
Philadelphia | January 2007 – January 2009 |
Cleveland | December 2006 – January 2009 |
Richmond | December 2006 – January 2009 |
Atlanta | January 2009 – February 2009 |
Chicago | February 2009 – June 2009 |
St. Louis | December 2006 |
Minneapolis | January 2007 – February 2009 |
Kansas City | February 2009 |
Dallas | January 2007 – February 2009 |
San Francisco | March 2007 – March 2009 |
Trivia | |
Signatures: Anna Escobedo Cabral and Henry M. Paulson Jr. |
Series 2009
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span |
---|---|
Boston | October 2011 – December 2012 |
New York | March 2011 – October 2013 |
Philadelphia | February 2011 – November 2012 |
Cleveland | March 2011 – November 2012 |
Richmond | April 2011 – October 2012 |
Atlanta | February 2011 – November 2012 |
Chicago | February 2011 – October 2012 |
St. Louis | October 2011 – November 2012 |
Minneapolis | March 2011 – October 2012 |
Kansas City | April 2011 – October 2012 |
Dallas | April 2011 – October 2012 |
San Francisco | April 2011 – October 2012 |
Trivia | |
Signatures: Rosa Gumataotao Rios and Timothy F. Geithner |
Series 2013
File:$50-B (2014).png File:$50-I (2018).jpg File:$50 (2004 Reverse).jpg
Federal Reserve Bank | Production span (as of July 1, 2019) |
---|---|
Boston | April 2014 – October 2017 |
New York | April 2014 – October 2018 |
Philadelphia | May 2014 – November 2017 |
Cleveland | May 2014 – November 2018 |
Richmond | June 2014 – November 2018 |
Atlanta | June 2014 – November 2018 |
Chicago | June 2014 – December 2018 |
St. Louis | July 2014 – December 2018 |
Minneapolis | July 2014 – December 2018 |
Kansas City | July 2014 – December 2018 |
Dallas | July 2014 – January 2019 |
San Francisco | July 2014 – January 2019 |
Trivia | |
Signatures: Rosa Gumataotao Rios and Jack Lew |
Total in circulation by month
Note: Usually, it's about two months after the days when they were printed.
1990-1999
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2000-2009
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2010-2019
Month | Series 2004 | Series 2004A | Series 2006 | Series 2009 | Series 2013 |
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Foreign counterparts
With inflation rates on the rise, the Bank of Japan introduced the 5,000 yen note on October 1, 1957. From 1984 to 2004, all 5,000 yen notes had Nitobe Inazō on the front and Mt. Fuji, Lake Motosu and cherry blossoms on the back; as of 2007, they now have Higuchi Ichiyō on the front, and a painting of irises, a work by Ogata Kōrin on the back.
The largest denomination of South Korean currency as of June 23, 2009 is the 50,000 won note, its counterpart of the $50 bill. Back then, a 50,000 won bill was worth about 1,000 won in 1962 and 1963, meaning that in those two years, 1,000 won was worth about $6, or about 170 won per $1.
$50 equals 67 Canadian dollars, 933 Mexican pesos, 250 Brazilian real, 62,500 South Korean won, or 6,250 Japanese yen.