The Happy Merchant is an illustration that first gained notoriety in the early 2000s, often attributed to a cartoonist known as A. Wyatt Mann. The image depicts a man with exaggerated features rubbing his hands together in a scheming manner, and it has since become a ubiquitous symbol on various imageboards like 4chan and Reddit. While the meme's origins are deeply rooted in controversial and antisemitic tropes, its usage in certain internet subcultures has expanded to represent general themes of greed, devious planning, or the celebration of unexpected profit. Over time, the character has been edited into countless variations, wearing different costumes or being placed in diverse scenarios to fit the specific narrative of the poster.