What This Means for Collectors
Treasury Secretary Bessent and Treasurer Beach both noted that the new bills are expected to become collector items — an acknowledgment that currency bearing an unprecedented presidential signature carries historical significance beyond its face value.
Early printings of the redesigned $100 bill in particular may attract collector interest, similar to the way bills signed by notable Treasury officials — particularly short-serving treasurers whose signatures appear on fewer notes — have historically commanded premiums among currency enthusiasts.
Key Factors to Know
- Your current bills are not affected – All bills in circulation remain legal tender at full face value with no exchange requirement.
- Your Social Security payments are not changing – The format, schedule, and amount of Social Security disbursements are entirely unrelated to the design of paper currency.
- Paper money is not being eliminated – A satirical article published April 1, 2026 claimed the Treasury approved replacing paper money with cryptocurrency and gold coins. That article was a fabricated April Fools’ piece. No such plan exists.
- The first new bills arrive in June – The $100 note is the first denomination to be reprinted with the new signature design, with other denominations following in subsequent months.
My co-worker Luka has one of these. He says it looks purple.