Other countries such as Syria, Mexico, the Philippines, England, and India have women's portraits featured on their currencies. Stateside, however, the faces on the bills that have been circulating have been masculine. Aside from a few rare limited runs of U.S. currencies that have featured important women in history, there has never been a coin or a note that featured a woman's face on it.
Seeing this obvious imbalance, the campaign "Women on 20s" was born. The grassroots organization campaigned to get the portrait of Andrew Jackson, currently on the $20 bill, replaced with that of one of the many women who have made significant contributions to American society.
On Wednesday, all those who joined their voices to ask President Obama to put a woman on the money, deserved a victory dance. U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced that, in 2020, a new $10 bill will be unveiled and will feature a not-yet-determined woman.
The day is significant for the new bill: it will be the centennial anniversary of when women were given the right to vote.
This is will be first time a woman will be printed on a U.S. bill that will be put into regular circulation. Women featured on coins and paper money in the country in the past have been met with mixed reactions or were only meant to be limited edition collector's items.
Here are some of the women who have graced American money in the past:
Martha Washington
Washington was the last woman to be featured solo on a U.S. paper currency. Her portrait graced the $1 Silver Certificate between 1891 and 1896.
Pocahontas
The only other woman to be featured on a paper bill was Pocahontas on the 1875 $20 bill. "The Baptism of Pocahontas" was the artwork featured on the reverse side of that bill.
Sacagawea
Sacagawea's portrait was minted on an American Golden Dollar Coin. She was the Shoshone guide who helped Lewis and Clark explore the Western half of the country between 1804 and 1806. It has been minted every year from 2002 through 2008 and again in 2012. It was designed to replace the Susan B. Anthony Dollar.
Susan B. Anthony
This coin was minted from 1979 through 1981 but was halted due to poor reception. The final run of Anthony's coins were struck in 1999 as the Sacagawea Golden Dollar were being produced.
Helen Keller
Her coin was minted on the reverse side of the Alabama quarter in 2003. The design was based on the theme "The Spirit of Courage."
Queen Isabella of Spain
"In 1893, Queen Isabella of Spain became the first non-mythical woman to be featured on ANY coin produced by the Mint-regular issue or (U.S.) commemorative," the United States Mint stated. The Spanish monarch was featured on the Columbian Exposition Quarter Dollar.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver
This coin was minted to commemorate the Special Olympics World Games in 1995. As founder of the Special Olympics, Shriver's profile was selected to grace the obverse side of the Special Olympics World Games Silver Dollar.
Virginia and Eleanor Dare
Virginia Dare was the first person of English descent to be born on American soil. She and her mother are featured on the 1937 North Carolina Half Dollar.
First Spouse Gold Coins
To honor the contributions to the nation of the wives of the U.S. Presidents throughout history, the U.S. Mint has been issuing one-half ounce $10 gold coins featuring the faces of the First Ladies of the White House in the order in which they served.
The first coins were minted in 2007 and featured Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Thomas Jefferson's Liberty (unmarried presidents were given a themed version of Lady Liberty to reflect their lives and contributions during their term), and Dolley Madison. This year, the First Spouses being minted and honored are Bess Truman, Mamie Eisenhower, Jackie Kennedy, and Claudia Taylor "Lady Bird" Johnson.
Lady Liberty
Finally, the most prominently featured woman on U.S. currency—minted or on paper—has been Lady Liberty. Although she is a fictional woman, her image has been held up to the ideals of freedom and justice for all and continues to represent that for many.
However, just like what Colorado Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder voiced out: "We have real birds and real buffalo on our coins; it's time we had a real woman."
We couldn't agree more and we wait excitedly for the announcement of which woman will finally grace the new $10 bill in 2020.
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