In the midst of a government shutdown over federal spending, a new $100 bill began circulating Tuesday. At least we assume it did: The U.S. Treasury, like much of the government, couldn’t be reached for comment, and no one is making change with a crisp, new hundred this morning. (Update: The Fed confirmed late Tuesday night that the new $100s went into circulation without a hitch.)
The Series 2009 $100 note is more expensive to print than the last version—12.7¢ per bill vs. 7.8¢ for the older style—but it’s designed to be harder to counterfeit and easier to authenticate. The hundred note still features Ben Franklin on the front and Independence Hall on the back, along with more colorful illustrations and hidden text and pictographs that reveal themselves only under certain conditions.
