I would very much disagree with the latter assertion. I work as a cashier, and I get 50s and 100s _all the time_. I wish they'd stop because it drains my till very fast. Lol.

Not once in their entire lives?

I'm not even sure if that I knew there was a $50 bill. And that's as an American of 30+ years that uses cash routinely. Multiple times I've cashed checks and gotten it all in 2's, but honestly can't ever remember a $50 bill. I always have at least one $100 bill in my wallet and don't ever recall getting a $50 in change, has to be the least common note. But now I'm thinking waaaaay back and does the President on it have a big mustache? Time to see what a $50 looks like.

Well, I suspect the notes larger than $100 (which are no longer being printed!) are even rarer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_five-hundred-dol...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_one-thousand-dol...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_five-thousand-do...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_ten-thousand-dol...

It would be a "unique" situation. Most AMTs (not all, but most) only dispense $20 bills, the rarer ones will dispense $5s or $10s, and they're rare enough that I make a note of them. I have never encountered an ATM that gives a $50.

Your best bet of happening into a $50 is if you go to a bank for an in-person withdraw and they ask you for preferred denominations. Generally the money is dispensed in $20s even there unless specified.

Your second best bet would be if you're selling something "on the side" and the purchaser uses a $50 in a transaction, which I would say is also rare these days, most people use Venmo or equiv.

Your best bet of handling a $50 is probably as a bartender, or of course as a bank teller.

I have held $50s a few times in my life, and even my reaction is "huh, a $50, don't see those often"

Huh, the Wells Fargo ATMs here in San Francisco actively offer me $50 bills on a regular basis! I wonder how much this various by bank, by region, or by ATM manufacturer.

In San Francisco, $50 is the new $20

Someone receiving cash from tourists (tourist city restaurant or attraction) would probably see $50 and $100 bills very often.

Nowadays that's less common from tourists from Europe, but tourists from Asia are still likely to bring cash.

> Is that just because it's an unpopular bill?

Let me introduce you to a $2 note.

This used to be true, but the last few years I’ve noticed many more ATMs and even people handing out $50 bills.

They are effectively becoming the new $20 with inflation continuing upwards, and I expect their popularity to continue to increase.

Is that really true? I've had more than a few $50 bills (and I've never sought any out).