Almost everyone can tell which animal appears on the R$50 bill, but our money doesn’t always have images of jaguars, herons or the female figure that represents the Republic.
Over the last century, several countries have stamped their official currency with heads of state who marked their political trajectory, including Brazil. Around here, these portraits disappeared with changes in the visual identity of the banknotes, but some nations still maintain this tradition.
From Latin America to Africa, passing through the United States and Europe, these are nine presidents who have achieved an unusual place: monitoring the population’s daily lives directly from their wallets.
1. Getúlio Vargas (Brazil)
Getúlio Vargas appeared on the 10 cruise banknotes launched in the 1950s.
The note circulated at a time when Brazil used to pay homage to political characters and figures linked to national history on paper money. In fact, he was the only Brazilian president to occupy a ballot while still alive.
2. Juscelino Kubitschek (Brazil)
Juscelino Kubitschek printed the 100,000-cruzeiro note launched in 1985. The note featured the former president alongside references to Brasília, the main project associated with his government.
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It was one of the last times that a Brazilian president would appear on a regular circulation ballot. In 1994, the real would adopt a visual identity without political leaders.
3. Nelson Mandela (South Africa)
In 2012, South Africa put Nelson Mandela’s face on all rand notes, from R10 to R200. The new family of banknotes brought updated security features, keeping the former president as a central element of the design.
Six years later, the country launched a series commemorating the 100th anniversary of Mandela’s birth. The new notes had his portrait on the front and showed different moments of his career on the back, including his homeland, his arrest on Robben Island and the presidential inauguration in 1994.
4. Sun Yat-sen (Republic of China/Taiwan)
First provisional president of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen appears on the 100 New Taiwan Dollar (NT$) note. The portrait occupies the front of the red note, while the back features the Chung-Shan Building, built in his honor.
Since the government of the Republic of China established itself on the island in 1949, Sun Yat-sen has appeared on several series of banknotes, including 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 Taiwan dollar notes.
5. George Washington (United States)
The first president of the United States appears on the US$1 bill, one of the most used bills in the world. His portrait has been on American currency since the 19th century and has undergone several graphic redesigns.
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6. Abraham Lincoln (United States)
Lincoln has appeared on the $5 bill since the early 20th century. In addition to the portrait of the former president, the note features an image of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on the back.
7. Andrew Jackson (United States)
Andrew Jackson’s face appears on the US$20 bill, one of the most used in American everyday life. The ballot occupies a curious place in the country’s recent history: for years, there were discussions to replace its image with that of activist Harriet Tubman, but the change ended up being postponed.
8. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (Turquia)
National hero and founder of the Republic of Türkiye after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Atatürk was also the country’s first president. His portrait appears on all Turkish lira banknotes currently in circulation.
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9. Benito Juárez (Mexico)
Benito Juárez has printed some of Mexico’s best-known banknotes. For years, his face appeared on the 20-peso note and, more recently, it appeared on the 500-peso note.
