you should have hung on to them.
http://www.investopedia.com/slide-show/past-us-currency-denominations/
Like all the bills featured here, the $500 bill remains legal tender. Most $500 notes in circulation today are in the hands of dealers and collectors. That being said, should you come into possession of a $500 bill, you’d find that its market value far exceeds its face value, with even worn $500 bills commanding upward of a 40% premium on the open market.
Read more: 5 Famous Discontinued And Uncommon U.S. Currency Denominations http://www.investopedia.com/slide-show/past-us-currency-denominations/#ixzz4qP5P2E4h
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Yeah, those were the days. Back then my consulting expenses for one job regularly were $5000+ per month on a couple of out-of-town clients. And that’s when flights and hotel rooms (negotiated down) were much cheaper. This was basically a cheap run because I wasn’t that far from the client. One particular training took me to the East Coast though one time.