Pocahontas appeared on the back of the $20 bill in 1865, making her the only Native American woman to be featured on U.S. paper currency.
Pocahontas Was Once on American Money
Long before Harriet Tubman was proposed for the $20 bill, another historic woman graced American currency—and she did it over 150 years ago. Pocahontas, the famous Powhatan woman, appeared on the back of the $20 National Bank Note starting in 1865.
This makes her the only Native American woman ever featured on U.S. paper currency.
The Image That Made History
The portrait wasn't based on any photograph, of course—Pocahontas died in 1617. Instead, engravers used the famous Simon van de Passe engraving from 1616, created when Pocahontas visited England with her husband John Rolfe. It's the only known portrait made during her lifetime.
The bill depicted her in European dress, reflecting how she appeared during her time in London, where she was presented to English society as a "civilized savage"—a deeply problematic framing that tells us more about colonial attitudes than about Pocahontas herself.
What Were National Bank Notes?
These weren't the Federal Reserve Notes we use today. National Bank Notes were:
- Issued by nationally chartered private banks
- Backed by U.S. government bonds
- Part of a system created during the Civil War to finance the Union
- Phased out in the 1930s when Federal Reserve Notes became standard
Each note featured the name of the issuing bank alongside standardized imagery chosen by the Treasury Department.
Why Pocahontas?
The choice was deliberate symbolism. In the 1860s, Pocahontas represented the founding mythology of America—the story of peaceful cooperation between Native Americans and English settlers. Never mind that this narrative erased centuries of displacement and violence; it was the story Americans told themselves.
Placing her on currency during the Civil War carried additional weight. The image suggested national unity and a shared origin story, even as the country tore itself apart.
A Brief Appearance
The Pocahontas $20 note circulated primarily during the Reconstruction era. By the early 20th century, currency designs had changed, and Pocahontas disappeared from American money entirely.
Today, these notes are rare collector's items. Depending on condition and the issuing bank, they can sell for thousands—sometimes tens of thousands—of dollars at auction.
The Long Wait for Representation
Since Pocahontas, no Native American woman has appeared on U.S. paper currency. Sacagawea made it onto the dollar coin in 2000, but bills remain dominated by Founding Fathers and presidents.
The 1865 Pocahontas note stands as a curious artifact—both a milestone in representation and a reminder of how selectively America has told its own story.