Looks like Harriet Tubman will replace Jackson on the $20

[chapman]

What is this, 1990?  Who uses cash besides drug dealers and tax evaders? 

[warriorchick]

I don't think the State sales tax folks would like that, nor would most folks. Say you pay 1$ for coffee and the sales tax is 7%. Why should I have to pay an extra 3 cents in tax.

The state sales tax folks wouldn't care. They will get their money no matter what.  It's the merchants that  have to collect it that will have the problem.

[jsglow]

I suppose if it were me, I'd have 3-4 untouchables on our currency at all times.  Perhaps Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln for starters.  The rest can rotate every 10-20 years.  Is FDR on anything?  Perhaps we're still a generation away from justifying a Reagan printing.  Clearly non-Presidents are appropriate too.  I personally think dumping Jackson is the right thing to do.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I really like the idea of rotating honorariums on the currency every 5-10 years. I think Washington, Lincoln, Hamilton and Franklin are very deserving of being on currency but I don't know that they always have to be there. Maybe do something like Washington always on the $1, Lincoln, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Franklin rotating on the $5s and $10 then make the $20, 50, and $100 a rotation of notable Americans like Tubman, Stowe, MLK, etc.

Collectors would love it as well.

03eng - I think Washington on the $1.00 bill is the only one mandated by law.  I read that somewhere?

[Coleman]

I don't think the State sales tax folks would like that, nor would most folks. Say you pay 1$ for coffee and the sales tax is 7%. Why should I have to pay an extra 3 cents in tax.

I'd really like the US to do what every other country in the world does and just bake sales tax into the price.

The coffee would just cost $1.10.  7% of that $1.10 would be sales tax and the merchant would keep the rest. You'd be happy because you're paying what the menu price actually says. Everyone wins.

FYI, one dollar today is equivalent to 10 cents in 1949. We would just be returning the currency basis (i.e., the purchasing power of the smallest unit of currency possible) we had then. We didn't need half or quarter pennies in 1949 (half cents were last minted in 1857), why do we need 1 cent or 5 cent pieces in 2016?

It would probably result in minor inflation on a one-time basis. But pros outweigh the cons.

[Coleman]

I suppose if it were me, I'd have 3-4 untouchables on our currency at all times.  Perhaps Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln for starters.  The rest can rotate every 10-20 years.  Is FDR on anything?  Perhaps we're still a generation away from justifying a Reagan printing.  Clearly non-Presidents are appropriate too.  I personally think dumping Jackson is the right thing to do.

FDR is on the dime.

I'd be fine adding Reagan sometime after 2040. I think you need to give time for the person to become less political, which means most people who had emotional political feelings about him to have died as well. It also gives time for history to properly judge the President.

Obviously, this wasn't always done in the past. JFK was added to the half dollar two years after he died (assassinations might make it a bit different though). I just think it is smarter to stick with folks who aren't as politicaly divisive.

[Benny B]

I'd really like the US to do what every other country in the world does and just bake sales tax into the price.

The coffee would just cost $1.10. 7% of that would be sales tax and the merchant would keep the rest. You'd be happy because you're paying what the menu price actually says. Everyone wins.

It would probably result in minor inflation on a one-time basis. But pros outweigh the cons.

Canada doesn't.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I like the fact a gun toting, strong woman will be on the $20.  Great choice.

[mr.MUskie]

Why do we need people on our money at all? Personally, i'd rather see animals. A buck on a buck. A Muskie on a hundo.

[mu03eng]

03eng - I think Washington on the $1.00 bill is the only one mandated by law.  I read that somewhere?

Yep that's correct and why I left it....but I'm fine with changing that law if we want to.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I was hoping we would put motivational sayings

[martyconlonontherun]

Also keeps counterfeiters on their toes

I never understood this. If I'm a cashier and in the last 20 years there was rotation of 5 different twenty dollar bills, would I be able to spot the fake 6th bill?

[Blackhat]

Pretty sure it's law that Washington always gets preferred status.   His face stuffed in g strings.

[keefe]

Cait's got next.

Hers is a story of undaunted courage in the face of incredible adversity.