$1 Bills

One-dollar bills last 21 months.

Repeat trips to the cash register don’t sit well with George Washington; the average single rarely makes it past two years. Commercial banks and other savings and loan institutions check dollars for wear and tear. When they deem bills unfit for circulation, the dough gets shipped to the Federal Reserve for shredding. Larger denominations fare better since they’re used less often. A $20 bill lasts about 24 months, a $50 bill about 55 months, and a $100 bill some 89 months. When those Benjamins wear out, we’ll gladly lend the feds a hand.