November 10, 2012

Isaac Newton: A 17th Century 'Dirty Harry'

Judy Dutton, Mental Floss


AP Photo

Back in 1695, England’s Royal Mint discovered a serious problem: A massive portion of the circulating currency was phony. As counterfeiting methods grew increasingly clever, the Mint turned to England’s brightest mind for a solution. Isaac Newton was appointed Warden of the Mint, a one-man army who waded through London’s underbelly to restore the currency’s integrity. Most counterfeiters were easy prey for Newton, but William Chaloner, a shadowy kingpin, kept eluding his grasp.

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TAGGED: counterfeiting, Isaac Newton