November 10, 2012Isaac Newton: A 17th Century 'Dirty Harry'Judy Dutton, Mental Floss
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![]() 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. TAGGED: counterfeiting, Isaac Newton | |