Sep

When is a fake so real it becomes art? Ask Jim the Penman

The Office of Communications and External Affairs (OCEA) and Smithsonian Digital Studio are excited to announce the return of Sidedoor, the Smithsonian’s flagship podcast, for an 11th season. Every two weeks, the show will share behind-the-scenes stories from every corner of the Smithsonian that listeners cannot find anywhere else.

The season starts with a fascinating tale of “Jim the Penman,” a counterfeiter who eluded law enforcement for nearly two decades before being caught. The premiere episode takes us into the National Museum of American History’s National Numismatic Collection (NNC), where some of Jim the Penman’s finest counterfeits are housed. In the episode, Sidedoor host Lizzie Peabody and NNC curator Ellen Feingold journey to the Secret Service’s archives. There, we learn Jim’s real identity and about his life, ultimate arrest, and complicated legacy.

During the mid-1800s, one third of all paper money in America was thought to be fake. It was the golden age of counterfeiting, and one exceptionally talented con artist stood out from all the rest. His fakes were nearly perfect…but for a trademark tell. Known to law enforcement only as “Jim the Penman,” this celebrity criminal led many Americans to wonder: can great art truly be criminal?

Can you tell the difference between the genuine and Jim the Penman’s counterfeit 100-dollar bill?

Comparison photo of fake and real 100 dollar bills

Counterfeit by “Jim the Penman” (top) and genuine (bottom) 100 Dollar bill, ca. 1880, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Listen now

Transcript

Sidedoor (S11E01) – Counterfeit final web transcript

Learn more

Explore the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History’s National Numismatic Collection, where some of Jim the Penman’s finest counterfeits are tucked away in a vault as well as its inaugural exhibition The Value of Money.
Take an in-depth look at history of the U.S. currency tracing back to the colonial era. Learn how counterfeiting has changed, how to be on the lookout for counterfeit cash, and what to do if someone passes you funny money.
Listen to the United States Secret Service’s Standing Post podcast to learn about the people in the agency, their lives, and the interesting and unique occupations that can only be found in this elite law enforcement agency.

Season 11 of Sidedoor will feature 21 episodes covering a wide range of topics, from an in-depth dive into the Equal Credit Opportunity Act for the 50th anniversary of its passing to what it takes to musically score scary movies. This season will also feature a look into protest art inspired by the human rights struggle of the 1960s.

Sidedoor launched in October 2016 and has been a hit with listeners ever since. With more than 16.3 million listens, Sidedoor is in the top 1% of podcasts as measured by average downloads. It has a 4.5-star rating from listeners and was named by NPR as one of 15 binge-worthy podcasts in 2022.

Sidedoor is a collaboration between the Smithsonian and the Pulitzer Prize-winning public media organization PRX. PRX brings listeners iconic audio programming, including “This American Life,” “The Moth Radio Hour,” “Latino USA” from Futuro Media, “Snap Judgment,” “The World,” “AirSpace” from the National Air and Space Museum, “Portraits” from the National Portrait Gallery, “Collected” from the National Museum of American History, and the Radiotopia podcast network.