The Painting That Inspired The Dollar Bill Was Just Sold In Upstate New York

Aside from Benjamin Franklin, George Washington might be the most iconic face associated with money, and why shouldn't he be?

Having your face on the One Dollar Bill means people across America see you every day, but in an age that hadn't invented photographs yet, being the one who painted the image of Washington might be a bigger flex.

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The Portrait on the $1 Bill

The image of Washington used on the $1 bill isn't just a random depiction drawn up by the U.S. Treasury, it's modeled after a painting by Gilbert Stuart. Stuart had the chance to paint Washington in person, and painted three separate poses. One of those would go on to become the painting used by the treasury for the $1 Bill.

An example of a replica of the original by Gilbert Stuart

Stuart painted hundreds of replicas of the initial portrait, and the original was owned briefly by James Madison, William Aspinwall, and various other art collectors until Richard Clarkson picked it up in 1929.

Washington's New Home

The original print of the portrait was donated to Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York in 1951, but the university seemed unaware of what they had. It was unceremoniously hung around campus in various department buildings, until...

It was stolen in 1968. The thieves must have realized what they made off with, because it was found discarded in a church in Buffalo, eventually being returned in mint condition to the University.

Now, the portrait has been picked up at Christie's Auction House in New York City for $2.881 Million, a staggering $1.8 Million increase from the appraisal of $500 Thousand to $1 Million.