One of the Founding Fathers that shaped the United States, Benjamin Franklin was also an author, a scientist, a diplomat, and a prolific inventor who developed several life-changing inventions.
In addition to helping draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, Franklin served as the first Postmaster General, Minister to Sweden and France, and the 6th President of Pennsylvania.
Today, you'll find his image on the $100 U.S. Banknote.
First introduced in 1862, the $100 bill originally featured a vignette of an American Eagle on the obverse.
In 1914, Congress decided to honor Benjamin Franklin by putting his portrait on the banknote.
The largest denomination banknote still in circulation, the $100 bill has been changed over the years but continues to honor this legendary Founding Father.
To stay ahead of counterfeiters, a new design for the $100 banknote was unveiled by the U.S. Department of Treasury on April 21, 2010, and featured a noticeably
larger portrait of Franklin and several colorful deterrents including a blue 3-D security ribbon with images of bells and 100s, and a color-changing bell in an inkwell.
However, some of the high-tech features presented significant production problems which forced the Treasury to delay their release for more than three years, and the new bills finally made their official debut on October 8, 2013.
We're Proud to Offer the Ben Franklin 100 Dollar Banknote Coin
American Mint honors the legacy of this true American patriot with our gleaming Benjamin Franklin 100 dollar banknote coin. Luxuriously layered in 24k gold and minted to the highest quality "Proof" standard, this dazzling commemorative coin features a full-color reproduction of the newly released $100 bill.
Framing the photo-realistic inset is a highly detailed engraving of Independence Hall just as it appears on the reverse of the original banknote.
The back of the coin features the inscription "Federal Reserve Note" and depicts the "Eye of Providence" symbol.