Twilight Sparkle's Retro Media Library
Advertisement

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

$50-H (1981)

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
  • Signatures: Azie Taylor Morton and W. Michael Blumenthal
  • Up to the Series 1988 notes, approximately 400,000 new $50 bills were released to circulation per day.
  • From early 1982 to mid-1984, all $50 bills labeled "Series 1977" were widely used in circulation.

Series 1981

$50-B (1982) File:$50-G (1984).png $50-J (1984) $50-L (1983)

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
Series 1981 bills were the first to have the standard print run of 100,000 sheets since October 1983. It was also since this time when the very first $50 bills with serial numbers ending with "B" were ever printed.

From 1984 to 1986, all $50 bills labeled "Series 1981" were widely used in circulation.

Series 1981A

$50-B (1985) $50-G (1985)

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
  • Signatures:  Katherine Davalos Ortega and Donald T. Regan
  • From late 1985 to the first half of 1988, all $50 bills labeled "Series 1981A" were widely used in circulation.

Series 1985

$50-B (1987) $50-F (1986) $50-G (1987) File:$50-H (1985).jpg

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
These were the last $50 bills in the 1969 design ever issued to Atlanta.
Most notes printed from 1987–1989 stayed in circulation until 1992. 

Series 1988

$50-B (1990) $50-J (1990)

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
  • Signatures:  Katherine Davalos Ortega and Nicholas F. Brady
  • Any $50 bills from Philadelphia, St. Louis, Minneapolis or Dallas were Series 1985 at the latest until 1992.
  • This marks the last time the $50 bill remained completely unchanged, other than new signatures of the U.S. Treasury staff.
  • All notes printed in December 1990 were reported in FY 1992 with the January–May 1992 printings. These notes stayed in circulation mostly until 1994.
  • Most notes printed from July to November 1990 stayed in circulation until 1993.

Series 1990

$50-B (1993) $50-C (1992) $50-D (1992) $50-G (1992) $50-H (1992) $50-I (1993)

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
For Series 1990, microscopic printing was added around Grant's portrait on all $50 bills.
Up to the Series 1993 notes, approximately 800,000 new $50 bills were released to circulation per day.
The very first $50 bills with serial numbers ending with "C" were printed in September 1993.
No Series 1990 $50 bills were removed from circulation and destroyed until starting in 1994.
Most notes printed from late 1992 to May 1994 stayed in circulation until 1997.

Series 1993

$50-A (1996) $50-B (1996) $50-D (1995) $50-G (1996) 50dollar back

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
Any $50 bills from Philadelphia, Minneapolis or San Francisco were Series 1990 at the latest until the new design was released in 1997.
The Series 1993 $50 bills were also the last ones in the old design, and the first ones with serial numbers ending with "D" or "E", which began printing in September 1996.
No Series 1993 notes were destroyed until late 1997 or early 1998.

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
  • Signatures: Mary Ellen Withrow and Robert E. Rubin
  • Release date: October 27, 1997
  • This design was unveiled on June 12, 1997.
  • Any $50 bills with serial numbers ending with the letter "F" are always Series 1996 notes, having all been printed in September 1999, when production ended.
  • After circulation began on October 27, 1997, approximately 1 million new $50 bills were released to circulation per day.
  • These were the only bills in the new design containing Withrow's signature, as there was never a Series 1999 for this denomination. As such, no new bills were printed after 1999 until 2002.
  • No $50 bills printed in 1999 were destroyed until late 2004, after the current design began circulation.

Series 2001

$50-A (2002) 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
Release dates: December 20, 2002 – April 6, 2004
These were the last $50 bills in the Series 1996 design, and also the last ones printed at the main facility in D.C.
For Series 2001, approximately 500,000 new $50 bills were released to circulation per day.
No $50 bills labeled "Series 2001" were destroyed until early 2009.

Series 2004

File:$50-L (2004).jpg

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
  • Signatures:  Rosario Marin and John W. Snow
  • Release dates: September 28, 2004 – November 3, 2005
  • The current design was unveiled on April 26, 2004.
  • As of Series 2004, all $50 bills are now exclusively printed at the Western Currency Facility.
  • After circulation began on September 28, 2004, approximately 630,000 new $50 bills were released to circulation per day.
  • The lifespan of a typical $50 bill increased to 6 years. As a result, no $50 bills labeled "Series 2004" were destroyed until early 2011.

Series 2004A

File:$50-E (2006).jpg

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
Release dates: October 3, 2005 – March 2, 2007
Any $50 bills from Philadelphia, Cleveland, St. Louis, Minneapolis or Dallas were Series 2004 notes at the latest (printed October 2004 through January 2005) until 2007.
No $50 bills labeled "Series 2004A" were destroyed until late 2012 or early 2013.

Series 2006

File:$50-D (2009).jpg

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.
January 18, 2007 – April 7, 2009 (February 17, 2011 in one district)
No $50 bills labeled "Series 2006" were destroyed until 2014.

Series 2009

File:$50-G (2011).png File:$50-K (2011).jpg

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
Release dates: March 7, 2011 – November 6, 2013
No $50 bills labeled "Series 2009" were destroyed until late 2017 or early 2018.

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
Release dates: May 14, 2014 – present

Total in circulation by month

Note: Usually, it's about two months after the days when they were printed.

1990-1999

Month Series 1985 Series 1988 Series 1990 Series 1993 Series 1996
January 1990
February 1990
March 1990
April 1990
May 1990
June 1990
July 1990
August 1990
September 1990
October 1990
November 1990
December 1990
January 1991
February 1991
March 1991
April 1991
May 1991
June 1991
July 1991
August 1991
September 1991
October 1991
November 1991
December 1991
January 1992
February 1992
June 1992
December 1992
June 1993
December 1993
March 1994
June 1994
July 1994
August 1994
September 1994
October 1994
November 1994
December 1994
January 1995
February 1995
March 1995
April 1995
May 1995
June 1995
July 1995
August 1995
September 1995
October 1995
November 1995
December 1995
January 1996
February 1996
March 1996
April 1996
May 1996
June 1996
July 1996
August 1996
September 1996
October 1996
November 1996
December 1996
January 1997
December 1997
April 1998
August 1998
December 1998
March 1999
June 1999
September 1999
December 1999

2000-2009

Month Series 1996 Series 2001 Series 2004 Series 2004A Series 2006
January 2000
February 2000
March 2000
April 2000
May 2000
June 2000
July 2000
August 2000
September 2000
October 2000
November 2000
December 2000
January 2001
February 2001
March 2001
April 2001
May 2001
June 2001
July 2001
August 2001
September 2001
October 2001
November 2001
December 2001
January 2002
February 2002
June 2002
December 2002
June 2003
December 2003
March 2004
June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
December 2007
April 2008
August 2008
December 2008
March 2009
June 2009
September 2009
December 2009

2010-2019

Month Series 2004 Series 2004A Series 2006 Series 2009 Series 2013
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010
October 2010
November 2010
December 2010
January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
May 2011
June 2011
July 2011
August 2011
September 2011
October 2011
November 2011
December 2011
January 2012
February 2012
June 2012
December 2012
June 2013
December 2013
March 2014
June 2014
July 2014
August 2014
September 2014
October 2014
November 2014
December 2014
January 2015
February 2015
March 2015
April 2015
May 2015
June 2015
July 2015
August 2015
September 2015
October 2015
November 2015
December 2015
January 2016
February 2016
March 2016
April 2016
May 2016
June 2016
July 2016
August 2016
September 2016
October 2016
November 2016
December 2016
January 2017
December 2017
April 2018
August 2018
December 2018
March 2019
June 2019
September 2019
December 2019

Foreign counterparts

1984 5000 Yen Note 1984 5000 Yen Note Back 2004 5000 Yen Note

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.

50000 won note (front) 50000 won note (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.

Advertisement