March 28, 2008
SFist Finds: Dapper Founding Fathers
Pal of SFist Julian (star second-grader at Starr King's Mandarin Immersion program -- ni hao, Julian!) picked up this "queer" dollar bill last week at 26th and Harrison in the Mission.
We recall receiving these bills as babysitting payment back in the '80s, and they make great gift-accessories for kids as well. But we had never before noticed how interesting the back of the $2 bill is compared to all the other paper U.S. currency, although we haven't seen any $50s or $100s in quite a while either.
The backside features John Trumbull's Declaration of Independence, and according to Wikipedia, it's the second oldest design of current U.S. currency -- from 1976. See the full image. We just love all those dapper-looking dandies, especially the one seated in the foreground with his sexy legs crossed.
The front side of the bill, featuring a rather stern-looking Thomas Jefferson, was designed in 1929, making it the oldest design of current U.S. currency. Someone tore poor T.J. in half on this bill. Now, we can see why he's so angry!
Submit your Bay Area finds to found [at] sfist [dot] com, or tag them "sfist" and "found" on Flickr! Let us know where and when you found the item, and any other helpful info.
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I don't know if Jefferson looks 'stern'. He looka little high to me:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/US_%242_obverse-high.jpg
Here's the hi-res of our founding fathers:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/US_%242_reverse-high.jpg
I wonder if they'd go with control-tops nowadays?
I think it's the $3 bill that's supposed to be queer. This one's just uncommon.
I know, the link I included says the origin went from Queer as a Duck, to Queer as Folk, then to Queer as a $3 bill. But many people mess it up and say $2 bill.
Ironically a crisp two dollar bill made it into my hand yesterday. Although it was from my friend who has been out of the country for a year, so who the hell knows how or why she had that. Unfortunately, it left my possession about two minutes later when i needed to give someone two dollars. Best two minutes of the week right there though.....
$2 bills rock. I've been tipping with these at bars regularly as well as tipping my cabbies and such. Since everything is more expensive now, the $2s make a lot of sense - help bring back the $2!!!!
I want my two dollars!!!
huh huh