(classical music)
- Hey Brain Stuff, it's me Cristen.
Throughout history, civilizations
have immortalized their most important individuals
in numerous ways, but in the modern age
one of the most legit ways to become
historically significant, to ascend beyond
the middling, forgettable fame of
the average Youtube celebrity
is to have your face on the money.
(cash register)
But who decides how people get their
picture on currency anyhow?
Could you do it?
Let's tackle the first question.
In the US, the answer is surprisingly simple,
the current Secretary of the Treasury
is responsible for deciding whose
mug goes on which bill.
That's it, essentially.
But wait, you might say, Cristen,
we've had the same famous folks
on US currency since 1929 and, well, you're right.
In 1929, a treasury committee selected the
current countenances based on their, quote,
"Permanent familiarity in the minds of the public."
Which, when you think about it,
sounds a little bit like a self-fulfilling prophecy,
but, anyway, we've more or less
stuck to our guns on that initial decision.
See, although the bills have been
redesigned multiple times,
the government has also been very hesitant
to rock the portrait boat,
and this wasn't always the case.
Before 1929, the US had already built
a long and storied history of paper bills.
It dates back to 1690, when the
Massachusetts' Bay colony issued
their first paper money,
but let's pause the history for a second
and answer the second question.
Can you be on US currency?
No, not if you're watching this video.
Between 1690 and 1929, there was
only one hard and fast rule added to the process.
No living person may be depicted on currency.
Unfair? Yeah, tell me about it.
Where's the joy in getting your face
on the $20 bill if you can't even live to spend it?
Five people have appeared on US currency
while they were still alive,
but the guy who ruined it for everybody
was named Spencer M Clark.
Old Spence was promoted to Superintendent
of the National Currency Bureau in 1862.
In 1864, Clark's office was charged with
producing a series of fractional currency notes.
The details of the story differ,
but regardless of whether you think
it was an honest miscommunication
or a one man's shameless shot at
the ultimate ego trip, one thing's for sure,
Spencer Clark plopped his face
on the five cent note,
and, as you can imagine, Congress
was pretty cheesed off.
They immediately retired the note
and made the nonliving people rule.
In 2015, Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew
made a declaration as bold as Spencer Clark's,
though not as self-absorbed.
He noted that the $10 bill was
going to be redesigned for a number of factors,
and that the treasury was taking
the opportunity to put a new face on the bill,
replacing Alexander Hamilton.
Seeking input from the public,
Lew asked for submissions that
meet the following conditions:
One, the nominee must be a woman.
Two, she's gotta be super attractive,
no I'm kidding.
Number two, she must be deceased.
And number three, the nomination
must revolve around the theme of democracy.
Secretary Lew asked people to use
the hashtag #TheNew10 to submit
their ideas online and you can
watch his official announcement on Youtube.
Now I have to ask, who do you think
should be on the $10 bill,
and listen, I know, I know,
you wanna nominate me but remember,
the person has to be dead,
please don't kill me in order to make this happen.
Let me know though in the comments below.
Oh and fun fact, this won't be the first woman
on US currency, Sacagawea, Helen Keller,
and Susan B Anthony have all appeared
on circulating US coins.
Martha Washington and Pocahontas
have also both appeared on paper currency,
silver certificates and bank notes respectively.