When U.S. President Donald Trump’s signature appears on $100 bills in June, it will place him among a small band of sitting leaders, often associated with autocratic rule, whose autographs or images have through history graced their currencies.
It will also end 165 years of the U.S. Treasurer signing banknotes. Banknotes around the world often show the signature of a central bank, treasury or other official associated with the printing and issuing of money.
Euro notes bear the signature of the European Central Bank president, and every sterling banknote has that of the chief cashier of the Bank of England, originally written by hand.
Soviet roubles took the signature of a finance minister or central banker for a couple of decades until 1937.
The Treasury Department on Thursday announced the plan to have Trump’s signature on banknotes starting this summer as part of the 250th U.S. anniversary celebration.
Previously, the Treasury had unveiled plans for a commemorative coin featuring Trump’s likeness to be issued as part of the Semiquincentennial celebration, but an 1866 law forbids paper currency from carrying images of living current or former presidents.
Here are some examples of sitting leaders Trump will join in the banknotes club:
CONGO/ZAIRE
Images of Congolese former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko in leopard hat or military garb appeared on banknotes issued after he changed the name of his country to Zaire in 1971. He ruled until 1997.
The government that ousted him punched out his face from banknotes until new ones came out.
UGANDA
Idi Amin Dada (1971-79), an army officer who came to power in a coup, was on Ugandan banknotes during his time. Rival Apollo Milton Obote, who was overthrown by Amin in 1971 but later came back to power in 1980 after Amin’s ousting, also appeared on Ugandan notes.
KENYA
Late President Daniel Arap Moi, who was in office between 1978 and 2002, used to have his portrait on the banknotes. Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first president, had his portrait on notes too.
Both the Moi and Kenyatta portraits were gradually phased out after Kenya got a new constitution and notes got redesigned.
INDONESIA
Indonesia’s first two presidents, Sukarno and Suharto, appeared on banknotes during their terms in office.
Notes bearing Suharto’s image were withdrawn in 2000, following the authoritarian leader’s 1998 resignation during an Asian financial crisis that prompted civil unrest and resulted in a bailout by the International Monetary Fund.
PHILIPPINES
Numerous banknotes and coins bore the image of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr during his 1965-1986 presidency, which included nearly a decade under martial law.
Philippine peso notes now bear the signature of his son and current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, but with images of native birds and animals.
TANZANIA
In Tanzania, the first president, Julius Nyerere, who served from independence in 1961 until 1985, had his picture on banknotes while in office, according to central bank records.
The first banknotes, which featured Nyerere’s image, were released in 1966 after the central bank was established.
(Reporting by Nuzulack Dausen)
