About this episode

This episode explores the history of banking and counterfeiting in 19th-century America, drawing parallels to modern cryptocurrencies.

In 19th-century America almost anyone could print their own money – and many did. One of the most notable figures to take this up was a man named James Brown, a charismatic conman who built a fortune producing fake banknotes. In this episode of The Story of Money, Stephen Mihm, a professor of history at the University of Georgia, introduces hosts Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth to “the hardest working man in counterfeiting”. They discuss the parallels between banking in the Wild West and the advent of cryptocurrencies today, and the role trust plays in all financial systems.     Further reading: A Nation of Counterfeiters: Capitalists, Con Men, and the Making of the United States, by Stephen Mihm (2007)  The Square and Tower: Networks, Hierarchies and the Struggle for Global Power, by Niall Ferguson (2018) To enjoy future episodes, be sure to subscribe to The Story of Money wherever you get your podcasts, and also follow the show's dedicated YouTube channel here .  Learn more at ft.com/tsom    Hosts: Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth Guest: Stephen Mihm Producer: Lulu Smyth Senior Producer: Michela Tindera and Laurence Knight…

People in this episode

Hosts: Gillian Tett, Robin Wigglesworth

Guest: Stephen Mihm

Topics covered

• banking history
• counterfeiting
• cryptocurrency
• trust in finance
• 19th-century America

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Georgia

Books & works: A Nation of Counterfeiters: Capitalists, Con Men, and the Making of the United States, The Square and Tower: Networks, Hierarchies and the Struggle for Global Power

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