Man seeks change for $1m dollar bill

[canuck31003]

Some people just aren't cut out for a life of crime, I guess. In Pittsburgh, PA:

A man who handed over a counterfeit million-dollar bill to a cashier at a Pittsburgh supermarket and asked for change has been arrested...

Police told the BBC the man became abusive when a manager at the Giant Eagle store confiscated the fake note.

He broke an electronic funds-transfer machine at the counter and reached for a scanner gun, said police.

There is no real US bill worth $1m (£490,000). Since 1969, the $100 note has been the highest in circulation.--bbc.co.uk

[Fireand'chutes77]

Some people just aren't cut out for a life of crime, I guess. In Pittsburgh, PA:

A man who handed over a counterfeit million-dollar bill to a cashier at a Pittsburgh supermarket and asked for change has been arrested...

Police told the BBC the man became abusive when a manager at the Giant Eagle store confiscated the fake note.

He broke an electronic funds-transfer machine at the counter and reached for a scanner gun, said police.

There is no real US bill worth $1m (£490,000). Since 1969, the $100 note has been the highest in circulation.--bbc.co.uk

Can you say... De-de-dee!

[campy]

Some people just aren't cut out for a life of crime, I guess. In Pittsburgh, PA:

A man who handed over a counterfeit million-dollar bill to a cashier at a Pittsburgh supermarket and asked for change has been arrested...

Police told the BBC the man became abusive when a manager at the Giant Eagle store confiscated the fake note.

He broke an electronic funds-transfer machine at the counter and reached for a scanner gun, said police.

There is no real US bill worth $1m (£490,000). Since 1969, the $100 note has been the highest in circulation.--bbc.co.uk

Can you say... De-de-dee!

Did the story say whose picture is on the bill? I'm really curious.

[canuck31003]

This is the image they had in the original article--looks like a masculine Statue of Liberty.

[Rob]

There is only one thing I could possibly come up with in response to a story like this...


"IT'S A FAAAAAAAKE!"

[TransWarpDrive]

The U.S. Mint has, in the past, issued large-denomination bills ($1000, $10,000, $100,000); but those were mostly used to transfer large sums of money between banks and were not put into general circulation. I remember this because my local bank once displayed some of those large bills in a display case in its lobby.
That was back in the mid-80's, though; I'm not sure if they still use those large bills today. I could look it up on the 'Net and get back to you if you'd like.
EDIT: Found it! The largest denomination note ever printed was the $100,000.00 gold certificate, Series 1934, Gold Seal. Here's a link to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing's web page that explains it all:
http://www.moneyfactory.gov/section.cfm/5/42
BTW, Rob, it looks like you're right. According to the link I just posted, that million-dollar bill is a fake. That guy not only faces charges for disorderly conduct, but also forgery for trying to pass that note.

[canuck31003]

Well, the original article did say the bill was counterfeit.

Thanks for the link, TWD. Looks like Woodrow Wilson is the $100k man. I wonder how long a president has to be dead before being eligible to have their face on a bill or coin.

[Rob]

Well, Wilson is definitely the most recent President to appear on official paper currency.

What's interesting are the bills featuring Salmon P. Chase, thus showing that Ben Franklin is not the only non-President to be featured on our bills...

Of course, the smallest currency ever put out at the federal level was the half-cent piece, equal to five mills ($0.005). The mill ($0.001) was never minted by the U.S., but several states did issue one-mill coins as late as the Great Depression. And the mill is still a very real currency; these days, we just round it out in our normal daily transactions (i.e. when buying gasoline that costs $3.099/gallon). We also vote on millage - increases in our taxes for public services based on mills-per-dollar.

[Commander Argus]

I have seen the 100K bill at the Smithsonian - and I actually keep forgetting if it was a 100K or 500K bill.

On another note - I utterly HATE the gas station practice of pricing gas by mills. It should be sold by the lowest PRACTICAL unit, which is the penny. (it's a stupid practice that make us think we're paying $2.79 for a gallon when we're really paying $2.80.)

[campy]

On another note - I utterly HATE the gas station practice of pricing gas by mills. It should be sold by the lowest PRACTICAL unit, which is the penny. (it's a stupid practice that make us think we're paying $2.79 for a gallon when we're really paying $2.80.)

Please, no. Your idea would cost me an extra dime or fifteen cents every time I filled up. That adds up over a lifetime.