Why does Alexander Hamilton face left on the $10 bill?

The portrait of Hamilton on the $10 bill is a copy of a portrait painted in his lifetime. For whatever reason, he faced left for the artist. Maybe he just favored his left side. James Buchanan was vain about his looks and insisted on being photographed facing right, believing that it was his better side. read more

7) Alexander faces left where the other members of the Faces On Money Club are turned right. There is a rarely used $100,000 bill with Woodrow Wilson which faces a similar direction but I doubt you will ever see that in your lifetime. Hamilton Grange in 1895, courtesy Museum of the City of New York. 8) Having your face on money doesn’t mean that you had much. read more

Because the portrait the image is based on is like that. Hamilton is the only person featured on U.S. currency not born in the United States, as he was from the West Indies. Hamilton is one of two non-presidents featured on currently issued U.S. bills. The other is Benjamin Franklin, on the $100 bill. read more