Treasury Secretary Jack Lew formally announced Wednesday that a notable woman will be featured on the new $10 bill expected to be unveiled in 2020. He's turning to the public for suggestions as to which lucky lady should grace the bill.
"America's currency is a way for our nation to make a statement about who we are and what we stand for. Our paper bills - and the images of great American leaders and symbols they depict - have long been a way for us to honor our past and express our values," Lew said in a statement. "We have only made changes to the faces on our currency a few times since bills were first put into circulation, and I'm proud that the new 10 will be the first bill in more than a century to feature the portrait of a woman."
The Treasury Department chose 2020 in part because it marks the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote.
The move is part of a plan to upgrade all U.S. paper currency and represents the first time in 119 years that a historical female figure will be featured on official greenbacks, according to USA Today.
Lew noted that Alexander Hamilton - the first ever U.S. Treasury secretary who is also currently featured on the $10 note - will stick around in some form, maybe on the reverse side or on a separate series of bills.
"There are many options for continuing to honor Hamilton. While one option is producing two bills, we are exploring a variety of possibilities," he said on the Treasury's New 10 website, launched to connect with the public on the issue.
"We're going to spend a lot of time this summer listening to people," Lew said, making clear that the public's input is an "important and valuable" part of his selection process, reports USA Today. The department did note that, by law, only a portrait of a deceased person can be used on U.S. currency. Also, George Washington cannot legally be replaced on the $1 bill.
Officials plan to hold town hall meetings and roundtable discussions to discuss "what qualities best represent democracy to help guide the design process," the Treasury Department said. They have also launched a social media campaign using the #TheNew10 hashtag to encourage the public to weigh in.
The Treasury chose to tackle the $10 bill first partially due to its susceptibility to being counterfeit.
"While many factors are taken into consideration, the primary reason for redesigning currency is to address current and potential counterfeiting threats," the Treasury said, reported NBC News. "In addition to featuring a woman, the new $10 note will include a tactile feature that increases accessibility for the visually impaired."
No woman has appeared on new paper currency in more than 100 years, when Martha Washington appeared on a $1 silver note, which was in circulation between 1891 and 1896. Pocahontas was the first woman on paper currency, when she was on $20 notes issued in 1865, according to USA Today. Sacagawea and Susan B. Anthony appear on dollar coins, and Helen Keller has appeared on the quarter.
