During the mid-1800s, one third of all paper money in America was thought to be fake. It was the golden age of counterfeiting, and one exceptionally talented con artist stood out from all the rest. His fakes were nearly perfect…but for a trademark tell. Known to law enforcement only as “Jim the Penman,” this celebrity criminal led many Americans to wonder: can great art truly be criminal? Guests Ellen Feingold, curator of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

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 &lt;p&gt;During the mid-1800s, &lt;em&gt;one third&lt;/em&gt; of all paper money in America was thought to be fake. It was the golden age of counterfeiting, and one exceptionally talented con artist stood out from all the rest. His fakes were nearly perfect…but for a trademark tell. Known to law enforcement only as “Jim the Penman,” this celebrity criminal led many Americans to wonder: can great art truly be criminal? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guests&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ellen Feingold&lt;/strong&gt;, curator of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History&lt;/p&gt;
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During the mid-1800s, the golden age of counterfeiting, one exceptionally talented con artist stood out from all the rest. 


        During the mid-1800s, one third of all paper money in America was thought to be fake. It was the golden age of counterfeiting, and one exceptionally talented con artist stood out from all the rest. His fakes were nearly perfect…but for a trademark tell. Known to law enforcement only as “Jim the Penman,” this celebrity criminal led many Americans to wonder: can great art truly be criminal? 

Guests
Ellen Feingold, curator of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
      

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Jim the Penman

Jim the Penman

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