Although they are still technically legal tender in the United States, high-denomination bills were last printed in 1945 and officially discontinued in 1969 by the Federal Reserve. Why? Why can’t we have a $1000 bill anymore? Al Capone, that’s why! It is a little known fact that (original) gangster Al Capone favored the large bills for illegal transactions and is the prominent factor in the Federal Reserve* and US Government decisions to discontinue them. You see, big bills fit into small bags and are easily concealable. Now its much more difficult to transport illicit cash for whatever reasons! Big bills, gangsters, governments? Vices!

*The Federal Reserve has nothing to do with our government at all, for reals, but that’s another vice altogether!

Part of “Vices” Show