While reading a recent New York Times article about the U.S. Treasury defending the legality of minting a Trump commemorative coin, I came across this legend of a historical chracter: Spencer M. Clark.
It was a long article talking about whether minting a coin with Trump’s mug on, is in fact, legal. According to US law, no living Presedient should appear on currency, only those that have died, this was to show that the US was not a Monarchy.
Anyway, another reason for this rule about no living person appearing on currency was due to Spencer! Back in 1862 Spencer became the first Superintendent of the National Currency Bureau, and in 1864 when Congress commissioned new fractional notes, Spencer’s mug shot appeared on the new 5-cent notes!
Controversy ensued, differing historical accounts have been given as to why this happened (one being he confused himself with another Clark who should have appeared on the note), but for me, I’d love to think he thought, “ah fuck it, this will be funny“.
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