In the 17th Century, 1 in every 10 British coins was forged. Isaac Newton oversaw a huge project to recall the old currency, and issue a more reliable one.
In the 17th Century, Britain’s finances were in crisis. One in every 10 coins was forged, and often the metal in a coin was worth more than the face value of the coin itself. Newton oversaw a huge project to recall the old currency, and issue a more reliable one. Always methodical, Newton kept a database of counterfeiters, and prosecuted them with a puritanical fury. He was appointed Master of the Mint in 1700 and held the post for the rest of his life.
As warden of the Royal Mint, Newton found a new calling. He attempted to make Britain’s currency the most stable in the world.