Let's End the Confusion. Basis Weight. The basis weight of a paper is the designated fixed weight of 500 sheets, measured in pounds, in that paper's basic sheet size. It is important to note that the basic sheet size is not the same.
Today, we're going to focus on paper currency, like the $1 bill. The BEP began in 1862, when only six people created money by hand in the basement of the Treasury building. Today, the BEP has two facilities. The Washington, D.C., site opened in 1914. A newer facility in Fort Worth, Texas, opened in 1991 to meet increased demand for currency.
When it comes to cash, many of us believe the $100 bill, graced with Ben Franklin's face, is king. Not so. Long before everyone starting talking about a trillion-dollar coin to fix the deficit, the U.S. government was printing and minting some seriously valuable lucre. Behold the $100,000 bill. The 100-grand bill was printed at the height of the Great Depression on Dec. 18, 1934, according to Bloomberg. Technically called gold certificates, these bills were designed to spur inflation and were only swapped between Federal Reserve banks.