Airline Pilot

Commercial airline pilots were once among the most highly paid professionals in the transportation sector. In 1978, the average annual salary for a pilot was $57,000, with senior captains at major U.S. airlines earning as much as $110,000, along with generous pensions, defined-benefit retirement plans, and strong job security. Today, those salaries would be equivalent to around $300,000 to $570,000.

The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 and the subsequent rise of regional and low-cost carriers altered industry structure and compensation patterns, with many pilots at smaller carriers earning far less than those at major airlines. The loss of strong union bargaining power further reduced compensation. While senior captains at major airlines can still earn high salaries, the median airline pilot today earns closer to $138,000, and many pilots earlier in their career earn far less.

Steelworker

In the mid-20th century, unionized steelworkers formed the backbone of American industrial prosperity and were among the best-paid blue-collar workers in the country. In 1965, a steelworker’s average weekly pay was around $145 — about $7,540 annually, or $78,000 adjusted for inflation. The job came with secure pensions, employer-paid health care, and strong labor union protections reinforcing long-term security.

Beginning in the 1970s, global competition, automation, and the restructuring of domestic manufacturing sharply reduced employment and weakened labor’s bargaining power. Foreign steel imports, plant closures, outsourcing, and declining union membership eroded both wages and benefits. Today, U.S. steelworkers earn closer to $62,000 annually on average, and there are far fewer of the lifetime benefits that once defined the job. In real terms, total compensation has fallen substantially from its midcentury peak, even as productivity demands have increased.

Journalist

Journalism was once a reliable middle-class career, particularly at metropolitan newspapers. By the end of the 1950s, staff reporters earned around $122 per week — about $6,300 annually or just over $70,000 in today’s dollars — with editors and senior correspondents earning more, especially at major city papers. Newspapers enjoyed near-monopoly control over local advertising, which provided a steady revenue stream that funded large newsrooms, foreign bureaus, investigative desks, and long-term careers. Unionization through organizations such as the American Newspaper Guild reinforced job security and standardized pay scales.

The collapse of print advertising, the rise of digital media, and consolidation in the industry dismantled that model. Today, the median journalist salary in the U.S. is around $57,500, and many reporters earn significantly less, particularly in local newsrooms that have been hollowed out or shuttered entirely. Freelance work, contract roles, and layoffs are common as news organizations struggle to replace lost advertising revenue with subscriptions, platform partnerships, and venture funding, reshaping journalism into a far less stable and lucrative career than it once was.

TV Repair Technician

In the early decades of television ownership, repair technicians were indispensable. In 1960, a skilled technician typically earned about $100 to $130 per week — roughly $5,000 to $6,700 annually, or approximately $50,000 to $75,000 in today’s dollars. These experts serviced expensive television sets that households expected to maintain for years. Televisions were built with replaceable components, repairs were routine, and service calls were a normal part of ownership, keeping trained technicians in steady demand.

Advances in electronics fundamentally changed that economic model. Flat-screen televisions became inexpensive, sealed, and difficult to repair, making replacement cheaper than service and effectively eliminating traditional, consumer-facing TV repair. While some modern electronics technicians earn solid incomes in industrial or specialized technical fields, the closest contemporary equivalent — electrical and electronics repair technicians working outside of manufacturing — has an average annual salary of $41,000.

Retail Sales Associate

In the mid-20th century, department store salespeople typically worked full-time schedules and often had access to commissions, employee discounts, and other benefits. While precise wage data for individual sales roles is limited, historical accounts suggest that full-time sales staff at major urban department stores — such as Marshall Field’s, Gimbels, and Macy’s — could earn the equivalent of $50,000 to $70,000 per year in today’s dollars, providing a stable, middle-class income with opportunities for advancement.In contrast, modern retail has shifted heavily toward part-time and seasonal schedules, flat hourly wages, and little to no benefits. The median income for a full-time retail salesperson today is about $34,700 per year, but most work irregular hours with few opportunities for career growth.

The First Green Ink Designed for Currency 

By the 1850s, a variety of bank-issued paper notes were again a prominent part of the American economy. By this period, the U.S. population was larger and more extensive, and the U.S. dollar was established enough for paper notes issued by private banks to gain trust in local communities. 

That meant counterfeiting reemerged as a major issue, particularly as developments in photography made it easier to duplicate the images on bills. Even multicolored notes presented little obstacle to the determined counterfeiter, who would scratch off the colored areas, replicate the bills with black-and-white photography, and add in color afterward. 

Printers tried creating inks that couldn’t easily be removed by physical or chemical means, which led to the first green ink for paper currency. In 1857, Professor Thomas Sterry Hunt at Laval University in Québec found that by super-heating chromium in a near-oxygen-free environment, the decomposed substance could be mixed with linseed oil to produce a green ink that stubbornly resisted efforts at removal. 

Though a patent was filed, additional experiments demonstrated that the green ink could in fact be removed from a note — boiling it in sulphuric acid was one means — so Hunt’s ink was never used on Canadian currency. However, it was deemed sufficient enough by New York printing and engraving executive Tracy R. Edson, who acquired the patent for a firm that became known as the American Bank Note Company.

Civil War-Era Bills Were Known as “Greenbacks”

In 1861, the United States found itself in a similar situation to the one the Continental Congress faced in 1775: War had broken out, and funds were badly needed to pay for troops and supplies.

That summer, the government contracted with the American Bank Note Company to start printing denominations of “Demand Notes,” so-named because they were redeemable “on demand” for gold coins at Treasury facilities. The following year, the government introduced a new series of “United States Notes,” also primarily produced by the American Bank Note Company, which were established as legal currency without the backing of gold.

Both the Demand Notes and the United States Notes featured reverse sides printed in the American Bank Note Company-patented green ink, inspiring the nickname “greenbacks.” Although the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) today states that “no definite explanation can be made” for why this color was chosen, it’s generally believed that the green ink was considered to be longer-lasting and more effective at preventing counterfeiting than other available inks.

The U.S. Treasury Stuck With Green Ink 

Green-tinted money endured as the U.S. banking system was streamlined over the following years, remaining the status quo even as the BEP pushed out private printers to take over the process in 1877, and as the brand-new Federal Reserve System unveiled the first series of Federal Reserve Notes in 1914. 

There was an opportunity for a color change in the late 1920s when the Treasury redesigned U.S. currency to shrink bills to save money on production costs. But the government stuck with green ink for the rollout of the now-standard small-size bills in 1929. According to the BEP, the “pigment of that color was readily available in large quantities, the color was relatively high in its resistance to chemical and physical changes, and green was psychologically identified with the strong and stable credit of the government.” 

In other words, the green ink retained its original power of thwarting most attempts at counterfeiting (despite what the Canadians felt about it), while having imprinted itself in the psyche of Americans, who began to strongly associate the color with power and comfort.

Today, astute observers will notice that newer series of printed U.S. bills feature subtle additions of color, such as the peach shading on the $20 bill, the purple and gray on the $5 bill, and the orange, yellow, and red on the $10 bill. Yet the predominant green remains an instantly recognizable feature, once part of the effort to deter forgery and now a symbol of the dollar’s lasting success.

1869 United States Note

The 1869 $1 note was a little closer to the contemporary design: George Washington made his first appearance, albeit with a sunnier disposition than the portrait that surfaced later. The central position of his portrait, the font printed beneath him, and the serial numbers located on the lower left and upper right of the bill set the standard for designs to come. Obvious differences include the vignette of Christopher Columbus on the upper left of the obverse, and a lathework-heavy reverse with the legal obligation wording pushed off-center. Additionally, this eye-catching bill featured various blue, green, and red tints, inspiring its "Rainbow Note" nickname.

1886 Silver Certificate

The U.S. Treasury began issuing silver-backed paper certificates in denominations of $10 to $1,000 in 1878, before the first $1 silver certificate appeared in 1886. With it came the face of Martha Washington, the first woman to appear as the primary portrait on U.S. paper currency (though Pocahontas appeared on an earlier $20 bill as part of a larger scene). The choice of the first U.S. first lady for the note was generally lauded, even if her picture drew mixed reviews, and Mrs. Washington's visage made a return appearance for the 1891 $1 silver certificate.

1896 Silver Certificate

Admired for their elaborate neoclassic designs, 1896 silver certificates are known as the "Educational Series" for scenes that illustrate the best of American industry. The obverse of the $1 certificate showcased the "History Instructing Youth" engraving of a half-reclining woman, one arm around a boy and the other pointing toward Washington, D.C., and an open book. The reverse featured portraits of the first couple, George and Martha Washington. While these bills made a strong visual impression, the copious amount of black ink used to print the front sides caused smudging problems, and bankers complained about an inability to rapidly distinguish between the different denominations, forcing the Treasury to quickly scuttle the series.

1899 Silver Certificate

Designed with the intent of appearing "so distinctive there will be no difficulty in confusing them," according to the Treasury, the 1899 silver certificate avoided the complications that plagued the preceding Educational Series, and its $1 notes endured until being replaced in 1923. While the reverse of this denomination reflected a minimalist aesthetic with its central starlike shape surrounded by an expanse of white space, the obverse featured an eye-catching eagle gripping an American flag, prompting it to be known as the "Black Eagle Note." Additionally, the front included smaller portraits of both Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, marking a rare occasion that multiple presidents appeared on the same note.

1928 Silver Certificate

The 1928 $1 silver certificate was among the first of the small-size bills that circulated as part of efforts to save money on production costs. By this point, the layout of the obverse looked largely similar to that of the modern dollar bill, with the blue Treasury seal to the left of Washington's portrait among the noticeable discrepancies. But the biggest differences can clearly be found on the reverse, where an unusual-looking light green border and large printed "ONE" prompted the note’s "Funnyback" nickname. The Funnyback layout remained in place for the following series of $1 silver certificates, before President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Cabinet member Henry Wallace teamed up to commission a reverse modeled on the Great Seal of the United States for the 1935 releases.

1963 Federal Reserve Note

While the first Federal Reserve Notes were issued in 1914, it wasn't until 1963 that the $1 denomination appeared among these notes, which now make up the bulk of the paper money in circulation. This version is the dollar as we know it. The bill features an obverse with Washington's stone-faced portrait flanked by the Federal Reserve District seal to the left and Treasury seal on the right, and a reverse marked by the two sides of the Great Seal and the motto "In God We Trust," which was added to paper currency in 1957. While the other major denominations have undergone design changes in recent years, with colors and watermarks added to help deter forgeries, the $1 has remained unchanged since 1963. The bill's low value makes it less likely to be counterfeited and a recurring congressional provision precludes its redesign, ensuring the familiar $1 bill will endure for generations.

Most Coins Are Minted From Scratch

Although machinery can vary between mint facilities, coin-making generally follows a standardized method. For all coins besides pennies, which are purchased as blank coins (and may eventually be phased out altogether), the process begins by inserting long metal coils into a machine that straightens the metal and feeds it into a press that punches out coin-shaped pieces. 

These blanks are then annealed, which means they're heated at up to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit in an oxygen-free environment to make the metal more malleable, before being washed and dried. The blanks are then deposited into a mill for the process of upsetting, which pushes up the sides to create a rim. Finally, the metal pieces are delivered to a press for simultaneous striking on both the obverse and reverse sides by working dies, giving each coin its familiar design features.

Early Coins Were Minted With Horse-Powered Machines

This production process marks the culmination of 200-plus years of experience and technological developments. Early minters didn't have it so easy. In the late 18th century, standard procedure included the use of horses to power metal-flattening rollers. One to three workers operated the presses that carved blanks from the metal and imprinted them with the specified designs. It was a laborious process that produced maybe a couple of dozen coins per minute for each press, which is one reason Congress continued to allow foreign money to circulate among the slowly accumulating American-made currency. 

However, the introduction of steam-powered machinery in the 1830s enabled the U.S. Mint to do away with temperamental animals and improve overall efficiency, to the point where one press was churning out 100 coins per minute. Electricity replaced steam power by the 20th century, before the switch to computer-powered machinery gave modern presses the capability to churn out 750 coins per minute.

The Mint Was One of the First Federal Agencies To Hire Women

As one of the first federal agencies to employ women, the Mint was ahead of the curve when it came to gender equality in the workplace. The earliest female employees were hired as adjusters, a job that entailed weighing blank coins and filing down any that were too heavy. Women eventually began taking on more responsibilities, including working as clerks and in supervisory roles. 

Early pioneers include Elvira Cowan, who became the first female supervisor after being tasked with managing a team of adjusters in 1877, and Margaret Kelly, who in 1911 was promoted to examiner, the second-highest position at the Mint. When Nellie Tayloe Ross was tapped as director in 1933, she not only became the first woman to head the Mint, but she also embarked on a 20-year tenure that made her the longest-running director in the agency's history.

The Mint Makes More Than Just U.S. Coins

Not limiting its metal-striking capacity to U.S. coinage, the Mint has also created medals for various purposes since its early days. This includes the "peace medals" handed out to Indigenous chiefs during the Lewis and Clark Expedition, as well as prestigious military hardware such as the Purple Heart and Navy Cross, and today, various commemorative medals. The agency also began minting coins for foreign countries in the 1870s, eventually supplying goods to more than 20 nations during World War II, before abandoning the practice in the 1980s.

The San Francisco Mint Aided Recovery Efforts After the 1906 Earthquake 

While the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fire destroyed 28,000 buildings and caused $400 million in damages, the human toll could have been even worse were it not for the actions of local mint workers. As recalled by former Mint Director Frank A. Leach, a team of 50 employees plus another 10 U.S. military personnel managed to beat back the flames threatening the San Francisco Mint building thanks to its artesian well and fire stations installed throughout the premises. 

Afterward, as one of the lone buildings that remained intact in the immediate area, the Mint functioned as a shelter and distribution point for food and water. Finally, with banks and many businesses closed due to property destruction and the loss of electricity, the Mint served as a temporary focal point for financial transactions, overseeing the exchange of $40 million between companies and individuals over the following two weeks.

The Mint Has a Mascot

Sometime around 1830, the Mint began receiving daily visits from a local bald eagle that entered by way of an open window. Employees apparently took this as a good omen, and even bestowed upon their feathered companion the name Eddie. Of course, wildlife and heavy machinery don't always go hand-in-talon, and Eddie sadly met his end after getting a wing caught in a coining press. Employees sought to keep Eddie's memory alive by having the bird preserved; his body provided the model for the eagle featured on the Gobrecht silver dollar in the late 1830s and the Flying Eagle cent two decades later. Contemporary visitors to the Philadelphia Mint can still see Eddie in all his stuffed glory, mounted just inside the entrance.

Federal Reserve Seal

Located to the left of Jackson’s portrait, the black seal of the Federal Reserve System represents the nation’s central bank. This version of the Federal Reserve seal has appeared on all U.S. banknotes since 1996. It replaced an earlier system of each note featuring a letter and seal representing one of the 12 individual Federal Reserve banks. Instead, a letter and number below the upper left serial number now identify the issuing Federal Reserve bank. The modern seal is uniform across all denominations and signifies the authority of the Federal Reserve System as a whole, rather than a specific regional bank.

The seal’s design contains a bald eagle perched atop a shield of stripes; below, branches of olive and oak signify peace and strength. These elements also appear in the Federal Reserve Board of Governors seal, designed by architect and industrial designer Paul Cret, who was responsible for the Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington, D.C.

Blue Eagle and Green Eagle

The eagle is an emblem that’s deeply woven into American iconography, and on the $20 bill, it appears not just once, not twice — but three times. In addition to the bald eagle that appears in the Federal Reserve seal, two others are included.

To the left of Jackson’s portrait on the front is a blue eagle clutching three arrows in one talon and an olive branch in the other. These items represent war and peace, respectively, and the eagle’s head turned toward the olive branch signifies that the U.S. remains dedicated to promoting peace. According to the U.S. Currency Education Program, this eagle’s design reflects the artistic style of Jackson’s era. A second, smaller eagle to the right of Jackson’s portrait appears in metallic green ink and more closely resembles the heraldic bald eagle found on contemporary designs. Both were included on the 2003 redesign as intentional symbols of freedom.

EURion Constellation

To the untrained eye, the clusters of tiny yellow numbers sprinkled around the White House on the back of the bill may not mean much. While they certainly add a bit of colorful flair, they’re actually a sneaky security feature that was added to the bill in 2003. This pattern is part of what’s known as the EURion constellation, a subtle arrangement of symbols used on currency and other secure documents to help imaging software detect and block unauthorized copying. German computer scientist Markus Kuhn coined the name in 2002, after noticing patterns of symbols resembling the Orion constellation. Because he first spotted it on a euro note, he dubbed it “EURion.” 

Microprinting

One of the most deceptive features of the $20 bill is hiding in plain sight. Tiny words — so small they resemble lines or borders — are printed in various places using microprinting. This security feature is almost impossible to see and, most importantly, to replicate. 

For instance, located to the right of Jackson’s portrait in the blue “Twenty USA” lettering, small text reading “USA 20” appears along the edge of the first three letters. And in the black border below the treasurer’s signature, “The United States of America 20 USA 20” is printed in microtext. There's also a number “20” between the large numbers “2” and “0” under the treasurer’s signature, and “USA” in the center of the “0.” Microprinting was introduced on U.S. currency in 1991.

Large Green Number “20”

In the lower-right corner on the back of the $20 bill is a large, dark-green number “20” on a plain background. This particular occurence of the numeral 20 stands out from the rest — elsewhere, the denomination numbers are elaborate, often outlined with borders or sitting on top of other design elements. In contrast, this one is more understated. Beginning in 1998, it was included to help individuals with visual impairments more easily identify the denomination. 

Series Year

Several combinations of numbers and letters appear on U.S. bills, from serial numbers to face and back plate numbers. One of the most straightforward numbers printed on each bill is the series year, found on the front of the bill between the portrait of the statesman and the signature of the treasurer (or the secretary of the Treasury, depending on the age of the bill). It might be fair to assume this indicates when the individual note was printed, but it doesn’t: It lets you know when the secretary of the Treasury approved the design of the bill itself, or when the signature of a new secretary or treasurer was added to the bill. A letter after the year, such as “A” or “B,” indicates a major design revision. The series year acts as a time stamp of sorts, tracking the evolution of U.S. currency. 

1953-1955

The Korean War, which began in June 1950, ended with an armistice in July 1953. A recession ensued that was typical of postwar economic cycles, as government spending decreased and military support operations were decommissioned. In the aftermath of the war, the gross domestic product of the U.S. fell by 2.2%. Unemployment, which had been steadily decreasing heading into the 1950s, began to increase. By September 1954, unemployment peaked at 6.1% — a rate not seen since before the conflict. 

Despite the economic downturn, the average family income was higher than during the war, at around $4,200 per year. Gas prices followed suit and increased to an average of $0.29 per gallon between 1953 and 1955, though it was much cheaper in oil-producing areas of the country. For instance, in Omaha, Nebraska, gas was $0.179 per gallon in 1953. That’s about $2.11 in today’s money, while the national average of $0.29 is about $3.40 today.

1956-1959

In June 1956, Congress approved the Federal-Aid Highway Act, which called for the construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways throughout the country. It was the largest public works project to date, and helped boost an economy that had already started to rebound in 1955. Construction on some spans of highway began almost immediately, with segments opening as early as the following autumn. The new roads provided increased access to suburban areas, which, combined with government programs and other socioeconomic factors, spurred the rise of the suburbs.

Part of the revenue stream for the new highway system was a gas tax increase, which rose from 2 cents per gallon to 3 cents per gallon. In response, the price of gas fluctuated between a 1-cent and 2-cent increase for the rest of the 1950s. In 1956, the national average was $0.30 per gallon, or around $3.47 today; in 1959, it was $0.31, the equivalent of $3.34 today. 

Present Day

Depending on where you live, you might have noticed that the present-day dollar equivalents of those 1950s prices are right in line with what gas currently costs. According to AAA, the current national average is about $3.45 per gallon; the U.S Energy Information Administration lists a similar average of about $3.44 per gallon. By those metrics, the price of gas in 1950 was essentially higher than it is today. That said, if you live on the West Coast (which has the highest regional fuel cost, at approximately $4.30 per gallon), you might still be feeling nostalgic for 1950s gas prices.

New Coins Were Minted Under Alexander Hamilton

By the end of the 18th century, the United States needed a currency do-over. In 1791, Alexander Hamilton, the nation’s first treasury secretary, established the Bank of the United States in order to create a stable system of credit for the government. The following year, Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1792, which called for a standard national mint in Philadelphia that would produce coins made of copper, silver, and gold. These coins included the very same denominations we use today, but there was also a broader range of values. Coins made of copper included the half cent and cent; coins made of silver included the half dime, dime, quarter, half dollar, and dollar; and coins made of gold included the quarter eagle ($2.50), half eagle ($5), and eagle ($10).

The U.S. Dollar Was Based on the Spanish Peso

The U.S. dollar originated as a coin based on the Spanish milled dollar, known in Spain as the peso, mimicking both its weight and value in silver. The origins of the dollar sign, however, are unclear. One common theory is that because the U.S. dollar and the Spanish peso were so similar, the symbol evolved from the superimposition of the “S” and “P” from the old shorthand for peso (“ps”), which was then simplified into the dollar sign. Another theory is that the dollar sign is a similar refinement of superimposing the United States’ initials. A variation of that theory suggests it originated as a superimposed “U” and “S,” but the initials stood for “units of silver.” Plausibility aside, there is no substantive evidence for these (or any other) theories. Despite the iconic status of the dollar sign today, its exact origin remains a mystery.

George Washington Wasn’t on the First Dollar Bill

The very first United States $1 note was printed in 1862, as part of the legal tender nicknamed “greenbacks” for their color. This first dollar bill didn’t include an image of George Washington anywhere on it; instead, on the front of the note was the likeness of then-Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase. Yes, the official in charge of creating the currency opted to put his own image on it. Chase later described how that came to be during a speech: “I went to work and made ‘greenbacks’ and a good many of them. I had some handsome pictures put on them; and as I like to be among the people… and as the engravers thought me rather good looking, I told them they might put me on the end of the one-dollar bills.” 

Aside from Chase’s face, the greenbacks also included anti-counterfeiting measures such as the U.S. Treasury seal, engraved signatures, and complex patterns and shapes made by geometric lathe. These early anti-counterfeiting measures are the root of techniques still in use today (though today they are augmented by other identifying factors). As for George Washington, his image replaced Chase’s on the dollar bill for good in 1869 — a recurrent provision in Section 116 of the annual Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act prevents any redesign of the $1 note. 

There Used To Be a $10,000 Bill

The $100 bill is now the largest denomination of American currency, but there were once much larger notes printed. Until their discontinuation in 1969, notes in $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 denominations were issued (though not widely circulated for reasons that are self-evident). With the exception of the $5,000 bill, each note had “blue seal” and “green seal” versions. Pictured on the blue seal $500 was former Secretary of State John Marshall, while President William McKinley appeared on the green seal version. The blue seal $1,000 depicted Alexander Hamilton, while its green seal counterpart featured Grover Cleveland. Founding father James Madison was pictured on the $5,000 note. And the $10,000 note — the highest value of American currency ever circulated — was the only one to have the same person pictured on both versions. Who else could that honor have gone to but Salmon P. Chase?

Just one piece of U.S. currency surpasses the $10,000 note as the largest denomination ever printed,  though it was not circulated: the $100,000 gold certificate. Only printed for three weeks between 1934 and 1935, the gold certificate was exclusively intended for transactions between Federal Reserve Banks. Woodrow Wilson is portrayed on the front of the note. Possession of the $100,000 gold certificate by a civilian is illegal, an infraction that might be a contender for the strangest possible financial crime.