In general. the question of how Emperor Norton raised money to help support himself is answered with reference to two imaginary-yet-real projects of world making:

• collecting from specific friends and former business associates “taxes” due the Imperial Government of Norton I

• “selling” to the general public promissory notes backed by said Government

Rarely if ever mentioned is the possibility that the Emperor also, at times, was reduced to garden-variety street panhandling.

But there is at least some anecdotal evidence to suggest that he was.