Cotton and U.S. Currency

According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, US paper currency is made up of 75% cotton and 25% linen. That is, there are three-fourths of a pound of cotton in each pound of dollar bills. This same source also informs us that there are 454 bills in a pound of currency.

During Fiscal Year 2009, over six billion bills of all denominations were printed in the United States, consuming 21,476 bales of cotton. The total dollar value of these bills was two hundred and nineteen billion dollars, or $21,290.55 per pound of cotton.

Now THAT is value added.

Denomination

Bills Printed (FY 2009)

Cotton

Used

(lbs)

Cotton

Used

(bales)

Value of

Cotton

(Approx. $0.70/lb)

Value of

Currency Printed

$1

2,636,800,000

4,355,947

9,075

3,049,163

$2,636,800,000

$2

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

$5

384,000,000

634,361

1,322

444,053

$1,920,000,000

$10

345,600,000

570,925

1,189

399,648

$3,456,000,000

$20

716,800,000

1,184,141

2,467

828,899

$14,336,000,000

$50

371,200,000

613,216

1,278

429,251

$18,560,000,000

$100

1,785,600,000

2,949,780

6,145

2,064,846

$178,560,000,000

Total

6,240,000,000

10,308,370

21,476

7,215,859

$219,468,800,000