What was the largest U.S. currency bill ever printed prior to 2015?

The largest U.S. currency bill ever printed was the $100,000 Series 1934 Gold Certificate featuring President Wilson's portrait. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing printed these notes in December 1934 and January 1935. The government used them to transfer money between Federal Reserve banks, so the public never used them.

Until July 1969, the largest currency note for public circulation was the $10,000 bill. Because of more secure bank transfer possibilities, the then-Secretary of the Treasury deemed it no longer necessary to distribute denominations of $500 and upwards. Once the Federal Reserve receives any of these circulating notes, they remove them from circulation and destroy them.