The History of the $1000 Bill

The first American money $1000 bill was printed in 1861, during the Civil War. It wasn’t until the 1920s that it became more widely used. In those days, rich individuals and businesses relied on large denominations like $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 to facilitate huge transactions, such as property purchases or investments. As time went by, the use of high-denomination bills declined.