US Dollar Bill

relayer

ONE DOLLAR BILL



Take out a one dollar bill. The one dollar bill you're looking at first came off the presses in 1957 in its present design.
This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen blend, with red and blue minute silk fibers running through it. It is actually material. We've all washed it without it falling apart. A special blend of ink is used, the contents we will never know. It is overprinted with symbols and then it is starched to make it water resistant and pressed to give it that nice crisp look.


If you look on the front of the bill, you will see the United States Treasury Seal. On the top you will see the scales for a balanced budget. In the center you have a carpenter's square, a tool used for an even cut. Underneath is the Key to the United States Treasury. That's all pretty easy to figure out, but what is on the back of that dollar bill is something we should all know.


If you turn the bill over, you will see two circles. Both circles, together, comprise the Great Seal of the United States. The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a group of men come up with a Seal. It took them four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved.


If you look at the left-hand circle, you will see a Pyramid. Notice the face is lighted, and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the West or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is un-capped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the capstone you have the all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin's belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything.



"IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this 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. If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you will learn that it is on every National Cemetery in the United States. It is also on the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National Cemetery, and is the centerpiece of most hero's monuments. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States, and it is always visible whenever he speaks, yet very few people know what the symbols mean.


The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England. Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation. In the Eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM", meaning, "one nation from many people".


Above the Eagle, you have thirteen stars, representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one.


Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds
an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows.


They say that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this: 13 original colonies, 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the Pyramid, 13 letters in the Latin above, 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum", 13 stars above the Eagle, 13 bars on that shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, and if you look closely, 13 arrows. And, for minorities: the 13th Amendment.


I always ask people, "Why don't you know this?" Your children don't know this, and their history teachers don't know this. Too many veterans have given up too much to ever let the meaning fade. Many veterans remember coming home to an America that didn't care. Too many veterans never came home at all.

Petescorner

Very informative post Relayer. Thanks for posting it!

AbesNeighbor

For those that have taken the journey, those symbols are likewise familiar!

MadMonk

I've known all this for years. Read a very small book by Emmet Fox on the spiritual symbols of the dollar bill.
Another thought on the single eye is that it's from the biblical verse.."If thine eye be single, thy body will be full of light" A lot of the founding Fathers were also "Masons" which in it's esoteric form (esoteric Masonry has almost, if not completely, died) Covered a lot of these spiritual beliefs, principles, and symbolism. Some Masonic teachings claim that the Order existed during the building of the pyramids, which themselves are filled with clues to spiritual truth.
BTW, Franklin hated the eagle, but liked the Turkey instead!

ursabear

I loved this post.

May I print it and give a copy to my cubs?

Conder101

<< <i>In the center you have a carpenter's square, a tool used for an even cut. >>

Actually a chevron, a standard heraldic device used to divide a coat of arms into different sections. Other devices commonly used are bends, fesses, pales, and crosses.



<< <i>If you look at the left-hand circle, you will see a Pyramid. Notice the face is lighted, and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the West or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. >>

Builds are typically depicted being lit from the upper right. There is no special symbology to that. Buildings a usally lit by the sun so the light comes from above and having it come from the right is most likely a result of the fact that most people are right handed. If you insist on a symbolic reason another just as valid would be that it is being lit by an eastern sun and it is "shining upon the dawning of our new country."





<< <i>"IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this currency. >>

And in my personal opinion shouldn't be. (It also shouldn't be mentioned in the middle of a discussion of the symbology of the Great Seal of the United States since it is not part of the seal. It sould be mentioned either before or after the seal is discussed.)



<< <i>First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and he is smart enough to soar above it. >>

Actually like other birds he doesn't fly during a storm if he can at all avoid it. As for flying above them, a good storm can have thunderheads that reach 50,000 ft or more. That's one hell of a bird. Actually almost every country choses eagles for their national birds simply because they are powerful magestic looking bird and they are larger that the other birds of prey. The Bald eagle is the largest eagle native to North America and it had the advantage of NOT being native to Europe. Kind of making it a natural choice.



<< <i>Secondly, he wears no material crown. >>

Very few birds do. Some have a crest or a comb, but most don't.



<< <i>At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. >>

The chief of the shield does represent Congress but the horizontal lines indicate heraldicly that it is blue. The very top white area is simply to help give the shield a three dimentional effect. Once again it is a result of being lit from above as are the top edges of the eagles wings, legs, head. Possibly by light coming fron the stars above the eagle?



<< <i>In the Eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM", meaning, "one nation from many people". >>

Actually it more properly related at the time to an understanding of one nation or government being a union of many semi-independant sovereinties (The states) working together for the common good of all. The meaning has changed some over the years as the US became more and more made up of immigiants (sp) from many different areas of the world.



<< <i>The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows. >>

Actually the eagle always faces the viewers left because that would be the eagles right or the heraldic favored side. Having the olive branch in the eagles right talon indicates a preferance for peace and the arrows in the other indicates that he will fight if he has to but the eagles gaze is never shifted to the arros even in time of war. It always looks toward peace as the favored state or condition.



<< <i>13 signers of the Declaration of Independence >>

56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.



<< <i>But think about this: 13 original colonies >>

And that is the reason for all of the other 13's. If Vermont had actively joined with the other colonies during the events leading up to the revolution it would have been 14. But it was 13 colonies, so what would you expect them to do, use 14 for everything because 13 was unlucky?

FC57Coins

Great post Relayer - who says you're just and old grum - Thanks for posting!

littlewicher

Nice post, Relay. Ouch to Conder.

tggr

GREAT POST.
Thanks for sharing.

Ray

Bigern

I as a "newbie" enjoyed this thread. I think there should be more of these educational threads. Thanks Relayer.

cointagious

$1 federal reserves notes began their tenure in 1963 not 1957.

Gemini

<< He wears no "material crown" >> I think that was making reference to a "Kingly Crown" the fact that many foreign countries coins and seals do display a Kings Crown upon their eagles head such as Russia and Greece to name a couple and not the type or arrangement of feathers upon the eagles head. My guess.

+ Was a nice informative post Relayer Thanks

Keyrock

Love the point/ counter point.

Good catch on the 1963 date for FRNs

Small silver certificates were series 1928 with deisgn 188 and 195
Series 1934 Design 196
Series 1935 Design 197 and 198
Series 1957 Design 198
Series 1963 to date design 214

Rich

Conder101

FRN's began in 1963, but the DESIGN used was the same as that of the Silver certificate and that design started was authorized in 1957. (although there were some muled 1935 G series notes produced with the altered 1957 design (Inclusion of IGWT). These muled notes are not rare.) Relayer does not say that the FRN's began in 1957. But to avoid confusion the words "you're looking at" should be edited out.

Gerry

Very interesting thread and excellent comments. Thank you.