All In Good Taste / July 2006
Dollar Signs
|
The one dollar bill first came off the presses in 1957 in its present design. Although called ‘paper money’, the bill is actually a cotton and linen blend material, with tiny red and blue silk fibers running through it. (That’s why dollars stuffed in jeans pockets can be washed without falling apart.)
The bill is printed with a special blend of ink made from ingredients that are highly secret, overprinted with symbols and then starched to make it water resistant and pressed to give it a nice, crisp look.
On the front of the bill is the United States Treasury Seal and on the top are scales. Although some claims have been made that the scales represent the need for a balanced budget, the Treasury Department has little to do with whether the budget is balanced, since that is actually handled by congress. The U.S. Treasury Department indicates that the balancing scales actually represent justice. In the center, is a chevron with 13 stars representing the 13 original colonies. Underneath is a key, symbol of authority.
But it’s the other side of a dollar bill that historians might find the most intriguing
Together, the two circles on the back comprise the Great Seal of the United States.
The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a committee come up with a Seal. It took them six years and two additional committees to accomplish the task.
On the left-hand circle, there is a pyramid with a lighted face and it’s western side dark. The country was just beginning; Americans had not begun to explore the West or decided what they could do for Western Civilization. The pyramid is uncapped, signifying that the country wasn’t finished.
Inside the capstone is an all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity.
“IN GOD WE TRUST” is printed on the currency. The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means, “God has favored our undertaking.” The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means, “A new order has begun.”
At the base of the pyramid is the Roman numeral for 1776.
On the right-hand circle, is the seal of the President of the United States featuring a bald eagle. Although there is no explanation of the imagery of the eagle in the official records, most historical references to the bald eagle indicate that it represents something of uniquely American origin. The unsupported interpretation is that the bald eagle was chosen because eagles aren’t afraid of a storm and are strong and smart enough to soar above it.
In the Eagle’s beak is the slogan, “E PLURIBUS UNUM”, meaning, “one nation from many people.” Above the Eagle are thirteen stars, representing the thirteen original colonies, and clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. An olive branch and arrows are in the eagle’s talons, an indication that the country wants peace, but is not afraid to fight to preserve the peace.
Thirteen may be considered an unlucky number today, but the significance of the number 13 in U.S. history is very strong. There were 13 original colonies, 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence and 13 stripes on the flag. On the dollar bill, there are 13 steps on the Pyramid, 13 stars above the Eagle,13 plumes of feathers on each of the eagle’s wings, 13 bars on the shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch,13 fruits, and 13 arrows. And, slavery in America was abolished with the13th Amendment.
The US dollar bill is a universal symbol of free trade and a small lesson in history.
Copyright © 2007 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
Top • Home • Subscribe • Advertise • Submit • Distribution • Contact
Support Our Advertisers • Organization Resources • Women Owned Business
Send an Email About This Article