The Truth About The First Person Who Was On The $1 Bill Shutterstock By Emilia David/Dec. 16, 2020 12:52 pm EDT The $1 bill is one of the most commonly used denominations. It can buy you some really surprising things. No one sings about singles, because it's all about the Benjamins but, let's be real, not many people carry $100 bills. (According to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the most circulated bill is the $20.) The $1 bill has gone through several changes over the years, including changing the face of the bill itself. The nation's first president wasn't always the one on the one. The first $1 bill featured Salmon P. Chase, a politician, former Treasury Secretary, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.