Philadelphians Look Forward To New Harriet Tubman $20 Bills
By Greg Argos
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Johnson House in Germantown was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. It was place where Harriet Tubman often visited and now our nation's most important abolitionist is going to replace a slave owner on the $20 bill.
It is time to say goodbye to Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. Tubman will soon be front and center on the bill, replacing our 7th president and slave owner, Andrew Jackson.
"A woman could grow up as a slave and remain illiterate and through her heroism and her vision and determination, help to change the course of this country," said Treasury Secretary Jack Lew.
The announcement on Wednesday settled the backlash over the initial plan to remove Alexander Hamilton from the $10 bill.
Hamilton is now a pop icon after the success of the Broadway musical.
In Philadelphia, the addition of Tubman, who helped to operate the Underground Railroad at homes in the region, has many looking forward to the change.
"I think it's really good," said Brooke Nolan. "It represents anti-slavery obviously and obviously women and I think that's important."
Coin and bill collectors are telling people not to expect the old Jacksons to be worth any more than face value.
"I looked at it from a collector's standpoint, whether the old twenties are going to be worth more money, or the new twenties are going to be worth more money and since they print billions of dollars a year in $20 bills, they're not going to be worth anything else," said Matt Allman of South Street Coins.
