Move over, Hamilton! Treasury to put woman on $10 bill

WASHINGTON — A woman will appear on the $10 bill beginning in 2020, the Treasury Department said Wednesday.

Just which woman is up to you.

Legally, the decision belongs to Jack Lew, but the Treasury secretary said he's seeking public input on which female historical figure should appear on U.S. paper currency for the first time in 119 years.

"We're going to spend a lot of time this summer listening to people," Lew said. A decision could come this fall.

But even then, it will take nearly five years for the new bill to see circulation. That's because of the intricate planning for a redesign that will incorporate new anti-counterfeit measures and tactile features for the blind.

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Even then, Alexander Hamilton isn't going away. The first Treasury secretary played a leading role in developing the nation's financial system, and has been on the $10 since 1928. And there he'll remain, either on the reverse side or in a separate series of bills. Also, the 1.9 billion $10 bills now in circulation will likely last another 10 years.

The move spares Andrew Jackson, the 19th-century Democrat who occupies the $20 bill. An online petition earlier this year urged the administration to replace Jackson with abolitionist Harriet Tubman by 2020, the 100th anniversary of the constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote. But Lew said the primary consideration was the security of the currency — and the $10 bill was next in line for an upgrade.

Lew said the planning began even before he arrived at Treasury in 2013. President Obama endorsed the idea for a woman on paper currency last year, calling it "a pretty good idea,"

No woman has appeared on new paper currency since Martha Washington on a $1 silver note in the late 1800s. Pocahontas was first, gracing a $20 note beginning in 1865.

By law, no living person may appear on a bill, and George Washington must always remain on the $1.

Follow Gregory Korte on Twitter @gregorykorte.