I'm not sure I like any of the choices. If the currency were backed by gold, then I'd think it to be an honor for Ayn. Not sure if she would approve given the present conditions.?? Just saying.

The dollar bill is scrap paper. Save Ayn for a $25 gold coin.

Comrades, you need to brush up on your American history. We _already_ have had women on our paper money. Martha Washington was on the FRONT of the One Dollar silver certificates of Series1886 and series 1891; and she was on the BACK (w/ George) on the 1896 series One Dollar Silver Certificates.

Contrary to the claim of peterchunt, many non-presidents have been on US Federal Treasury money (not private bank notes) including Samuel Morse and Robert Fulton and a slew of Civil War generals, Secretary of the Treasury William Windom, and an ordinary farm wife with child and husband on the Legal Tender Notes 1875 to 1907.

Pocahontas was on the backs of the $20 Compound Interest Notes of 1864 and the $20 National Bank Notes of 1875.

Salmon P. Chase was alive and kicking when his portrait graced the $10 interest-bearing note of 1863.

I could go on. Anyone who is really interested in money should read books about numismatics. Allow me to recommend Whitman Publishing (not just because I review for them) here: https://www.whitman.com/store/Inventory/...

The best thing to do to the US currency is to get rid of the "Federal Reserve" note in favor of 'tangible asset certificate'.

Ayn Rand's image would be more appropriate on one of these (if they ever return):
http://www.panix.com/~clay/currency/gold...
(Click on any one of the bills to enlarge the image.)

If the intent is to honor women who defended the "American" culture of liberty don't forget Isabel Patterson (God of the Machine) and Rose Wilder Lane (Discovery of Freedom.)
However, the currency we have now is an insult to heroes of liberty.

Comrades, this is the woman who was on the Five Dollar Silver Certificate of 1896.
Courtesy of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank educational archive ...
http://www.philadelphiafed.org/education...

Ayn Rand!

She gives good face!

Can't wait to see the anguished posts by $5Au's lib friends on Facebook after they check results.

Martha Washington was, and should be if we were to do it again.

Edit: Noticed the word Modern in the article description, so I guess first does fit after all. Still should be Martha, she spent every winter in the revolutionary war with the soldiers and things would have been worse without her organizing to mend clothing, make new clothing and keep the winter camps somewhat cleanly. She travelled every fall and every spring by carriage, 3 months with the troups, 6 months on the road and 3 months at home (approximately). To me that is some real dedication.

if I might add a sidelight, K, I would propose that
BHO be put on the trillion $ bill, so that no one would
have to see him in the grocery store. -- j

Ummm...Hilary Clinton printed on some Benghazi Bucks? OK...tasteless I know.
All kidding aside..as a teacher of history...I'd probably go with Harriet Tubman...she put the idea of liberty into action without regard to her own safety.
Abigail Adams, who served as the conscience of her husband John would be a close second for me.

I refuse to vote in that poll. The very question assumes the persistence of currency that is not worth the paper it's printed on. Beyoncé the Skank deserves the distinction of being a woman to replace George Washington on the one-dollar bill.

I might vote for Ayn Rand's face to appear on a gold bearer bond: "The Mulligan Mint will pay to the bearer on demand one Troy pound of gold, one thousand fine." Such a document would be a warehouse receipt, not a fractional-reserve bank note.

Damn the gold-and-silver torpedoes, full Rand ahead!

Get her name out in the front runners for the honor - she will probably not be chosen, due to political climate, but if she comes up with the most votes there will be fewer people asking, "Ayn Rand? Who is she?"

Jan, long game

Lady Liberty
She above all of us, male or female, deserves that place.

Hillary Clinton. A fiat politico on a fiat currency. Fitting. I would expect the Founding Fathers would rather not be represented on the nations currency anymore, either. May as well put on Oprah or pick your Kardashian.

Should the dollar become worthless, how about Obama with his chin high up in the air while he wears lipstick. Beneath his arrogant visage shall be the words, "Lipstick On A Pig." Above him shall be a cartoon balloon that says, "My work here is done."

I 'd probably go with Abagail Adams if we were sticking with founding leaders. But Dolly Madison was also pretty heroic. Really I don 't know why it has to be somebody 's face. I like the idea of people doing productive things including invention. However, it 's just a silly poll that it would be sweet if everyone were blindsided by the support of the first lady of capitalism.

If AR is going to be on the dollar, it ought to be a silver or golden dollar.

I just voted. Pretty cool Ayn is winning. I would have guessed Eleanor.

Don't forget that fuzx $3 bill starring Bill Clinton, or the $0 bill starring Barack Obama...

Since it is fiat currency, maybe Heidi Fleiss?

My prediction is it will be the first woman President and shortly after her death.

Sure, Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison were fine at what they did. We should not forget our political heroines. However, just how important is politics, compared to science and industry? And what could be more important than being freed from corsets?

Maria Mitchell
http://space.about.com/cs/astronomerbios...

Annie Jump Cannon
http://www.womanastronomer.com/acannon.h...

Admiral Grace Hopper
http://gracehopper.org/

Mary Phelps Jacob
http://www.women-inventors.com/Mary-Phel...