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Trailblazing Women Featured on Global Currency

Trailblazing Women Featured on Global Currency

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Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Agnes of Bohemia (1211-1282)

Source: migulski / Flickr

Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002)

Source: HasseChr / iStock via Getty Images

Birgit Nilsson (1918-2005)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Božena Němcová (1820-1862)

Source: Bence Bezeredy / iStock via Getty Images

Carmen Lyra (1888-1949)

Source: johan10 / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Catherine Flon (Unknown)

Source: Zoonar RF / Zoonar via Getty Images

Cesária Évora (1941-2011)

Source: Csiklet / Wikimedia Commons

Clara Schumann (1819-1896)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Corazon C. Aquino (1933-2009)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Dido

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Edith Cowan (1861-1932)

Source: davidf / iStock via Getty Images

Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Emmy Destinn (1878-1930)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Eva Perón (1919-1952)

Source: EAQ / iStock via Getty Images

Fatma Aliye Topuz (1862-1936)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)

Source: London Stereoscopic Company / Getty Images

Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)

Source: MarioGuti / iStock via Getty Images

Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Golda Meir (1898-1978)

Source: Berlin-George / Wikimedia Commons

Greta Garbo (1905-1990)

Source: RobsonPL / iStock via Getty Images

Higuchi Ichiyō (1872-1896)

Source: frema / iStock via Getty Images

Jane Austen (1775-1817)

Source: georgeclerk / iStock via Getty Images

Jenny Lind (1820-1887)

Source: Di Qin / iStock via Getty Images

Josefa Llanes Escoda (1898-1945)

Source: Aerous / Wikimedia Commons

Juana de Ibarbourou (1892-1979)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Kate Sheppard (1847-1934)

Source: powerofforever / iStock via Getty Images

Kirsten Flagstad (1895-1962)

Source: HendrikDB / iStock via Getty Images

Kurmanjan Datka (1811-1907)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Ladi Kwali (1925-1984)

Source: Maksym Kapliuk / iStock via Getty Images

Lesya Ukrainka (1871-1913)

Source: ryabuhanazar / iStock via Getty Images

Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi (1799-1866)

Source: Bgabel / Wikimedia Commons

Maria Montessori (1870-1952)

Source: JannHuizenga / iStock via Getty Images

Marie Curie (1867-1934)

Source: tonynetone / Flickr

Martha Washington (1731-1802)

Source: ooocha / Flickr

Mary Gilmore (1865-1962)

Source: tomograf / iStock via Getty Images

Mary Slessor (1848-1915)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

The Mirabal sisters (1924,1925,1926-1960)

Source: Laurent Seignobos / Wikimedia Commons

Nadežda Petrović (1873-1915)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Nanny of the Maroons (c. 1686-c. 1733)

Source: ppart / iStock via Getty Images

Nellie Melba (1861-1931)

Source: huafires / iStock via Getty Images

Pocahontas (c. 1596-1617)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Policarpa Salavarrieta (1795-1817)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)

Source: Thinglass / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Queen Tamar (1160-1213)

Source: RobsonPL / iStock via Getty Images

Queen Teuta (c. 260 BCE – c. 228 BCE)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir (1646-1715)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Rose Lomathinda Chibambo (1928–2016)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

Source: powerofforever / iStock via Getty Images

Salomé Ureña (1850-1897)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Shin Saimdang (1504-1551)

Source: kaesan / iStock via Getty Images

Sigrid Undset (1882-1949)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Sophie Taeuber-Arp (1889-1943)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-1695)

Source: peregrina / iStock via Getty Images

Viola Desmond (1914-1965)

Source: Jeff Kingma / iStock via Getty Images

Zenobia (c. 240 CE-c. 270 CE)

Source: Tamer Soliman / iStock via Getty Images

Agnes of Bohemia (1211-1282)
Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002)
Birgit Nilsson (1918-2005)
Božena Němcová (1820-1862)
Carmen Lyra (1888-1949)
Catherine Flon (Unknown)
Cesária Évora (1941-2011)
Clara Schumann (1819-1896)
Corazon C. Aquino (1933-2009)
Dido
Edith Cowan (1861-1932)
Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845)
Emmy Destinn (1878-1930)
Eva Perón (1919-1952)
Fatma Aliye Topuz (1862-1936)
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)
Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957)
Golda Meir (1898-1978)
Greta Garbo (1905-1990)
Higuchi Ichiyō (1872-1896)
Jane Austen (1775-1817)
Jenny Lind (1820-1887)
Josefa Llanes Escoda (1898-1945)
Juana de Ibarbourou (1892-1979)
Kate Sheppard (1847-1934)
Kirsten Flagstad (1895-1962)
Kurmanjan Datka (1811-1907)
Ladi Kwali (1925-1984)
Lesya Ukrainka (1871-1913)
Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi (1799-1866)
Maria Montessori (1870-1952)
Marie Curie (1867-1934)
Martha Washington (1731-1802)
Mary Gilmore (1865-1962)
Mary Slessor (1848-1915)
The Mirabal sisters (1924,1925,1926-1960)
Nadežda Petrović (1873-1915)
Nanny of the Maroons (c. 1686-c. 1733)
Nellie Melba (1861-1931)
Pocahontas (c. 1596-1617)
Policarpa Salavarrieta (1795-1817)
Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)
Queen Tamar (1160-1213)
Queen Teuta (c. 260 BCE – c. 228 BCE)
Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir (1646-1715)
Rose Lomathinda Chibambo (1928–2016)
Rose of Lima (1586-1617)
Salomé Ureña (1850-1897)
Shin Saimdang (1504-1551)
Sigrid Undset (1882-1949)
Sophie Taeuber-Arp (1889-1943)
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-1695)
Viola Desmond (1914-1965)
Zenobia (c. 240 CE-c. 270 CE)

Women have been making significant contributions to society throughout history although they haven't always been acknowledged for their efforts. From Queen Elizabeth, regarded as the greatest monarch in Britain's history – both male and female – to Marie Curie, the Polish-French physicist, and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity, to Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly into space, women have shown that they are just as intelligent and capable, if not more, than many of their male counterparts. This is why these trailblazing women featured on global currency are impressive.

Historically, women haven't always been given the accolades they deserve, not only in the U.S. but throughout the world. Men have been honored in numerous ways for their contributions to society, and although women have made a significant portion as well, they aren't typically acknowledged to the same extent. While they may not yet have the same level of appreciation their male counterparts may enjoy, several women have been honored by their nations by having their likenesses put on their legal tender.

To compile a list of trailblazing women featured on global currency, 24/7 Tempo has gleaned information from sources such as Banknote World, Visual Capitalist, the National Museum of American History, Mintage World, and several encyclopedia sites. The list is limited to paper currency and may include women who appeared on bank notes that are no longer in circulation, such as Germany's Deutsche Mark and Italy's lira, both supplanted by the euro in 1999 and 2002 respectively. (These are the most iconic female rulers in history.)

Here are trailblazing women featured on global currency:
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