Before George Washington, whose face appeared on the $1 bill? Answer
In 1862, the very first version of the United States $1 bill featured the portrait of Salmon P. Chase, who was serving as the Secretary of the Treasury at the time. Unlike the modern tradition of honoring deceased presidents, Chase oversaw the creation of the new “Greenback” currency during the Civil War and decided to place his own likeness on the inaugural note. This bold move was largely seen as a calculated attempt to increase his public profile and political standing as he harbored significant ambitions for the presidency.
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