United States Fifty-dollar Bill - Small Size Note History

Small Size Note History

(6.14 × 2.61 in ≅ 156 × 66 mm)

• 1929: Under the Series of 1928, all U.S. currency was changed to its current size. All variations of the $50 bill would carry the same portrait of Ulysses S. Grant, same border design on the obverse, and the same reverse with a vignette of the U.S. Capitol. The $50 bill was issued as a Federal Reserve Note with a green seal and serial numbers and as a Gold Certificate with a golden seal and serial numbers.
• 1933: As an emergency response to the Great Depression, additional money was pumped into the American economy through Federal Reserve Bank Notes issued under Series of 1929. This was the only small-sized $50 bill that had a different border design on the obverse. The serial numbers and seal on it were brown.
• 1934: The redeemable in gold clause was removed from Federal Reserve Notes due to the U.S. withdrawing from the gold standard.
• 1950: Many minor aspects on the obverse of the $50 Federal Reserve Note were changed. Most noticeably, the treasury seal, gray word, and the Federal Reserve Seal were made smaller; also, the Federal Reserve seal had spikes added around it.

• 1966: was removed from the obverse and was added to the reverse of the $50 Federal Reserve Note beginning with Series 1963A. Also, the obligation was shortened to its current wording, .
• 1969: The $50 bill began using the new treasury seal with wording in English instead of Latin.
• 1991: The first new-age anti-counterfeiting measures were introduced under Series 1990 with microscopic printing around Grant's portrait and a plastic security strip on the left side of the bill.
• October 27, 1997: Major design changes were implemented under Series 1996 to further deter counterfeiters. Included were an enlarged and off-center portrait, an enlarged and updated view of the U.S. Capitol on the reverse, a security thread which glows yellow under ultraviolet light, a numeric 50 which shifts color from black to green when tilted, and a watermark of Grant. Also, for those with vision limitations, a large dark 50 was added to the bottom left corner of the reverse. The Federal Reserve seal was also changed to a unified Federal Reserve System seal and an additional prefix letter was added to the beginning of the bill's serial number.
• September 28, 2004: A revised design was implemented, as Series 2004, with the first use of multiple colors since the 1905 $20 Gold Certificate. Around the new border-less portrait of Ulysses Grant appears a subtle, stylized blue and red background image of the American Flag. A small silver-blue star was also added to the lower right of Grant's portrait. All previous Series 1996 security features were included, although the color-shifting numeric 50 now shifts from copper to green. The oval border and fine lines surrounding the U.S. Capitol on the reverse have been removed and replaced with sky and clouds. The new design also seems to have the "EURion constellation" on the back to prevent photocopying of the bill.