Four words used on American currency are some of the most beloved — and contentious — in United States history.
How did the phrase “In God We Trust” come to be emblazoned on U.S. coins and dollars, and why does it matter so much?
“God, Liberty, Law”
“In God We Trust” has not always been included on American money. It wasn’t until the tumult of the Civil War — and the accompanying surge in religious sentiments — that the addition was suggested.
A few months into the War Between the States, the Treasury department received a letter dated November 13, 1861, from the Rev. M. R. Watkinson, a minister from Ridleyville, Pennsylvania.
In it, the minister wrote: “One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins.”
He goes on to suggest a design: remove Lady Liberty and replace her with the words “Perpetual Union,” the all-seeing eye with a halo, and the American flag with the words “God, Liberty, and Law” inside the folds.
The letter concludes, “This would relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism. This would place us openly under the Divine protection we have personally claimed.”
The Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase, took this suggestion into consideration and wrote a letter to the director of the Philadelphia Mint a week later. His letter read:
“Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins. You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition.”
However, under existing American law, the Mint couldn’t add anything to U.S. currency, so the idea stalled out until April 1864, when Congress approved new designs for the one-cent, two-cent and three-cent coins.
The phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST” first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin.
Wider Adoption
After an Act of Congress in 1865, the motto was placed on all gold and silver coins that “shall admit the inscription therein” (in other words, if there was room).
“IN GOD WE TRUST” was added to the Saint Gaudens Double Eagle Gold coin, the Gold Eagle, the Gold Half-Eagle, the Silver Eagle, the half-dollar and the quarter. It spread to the nickel three-cent coin in 1866.
In 1873, Congress passed the Coinage Act. Under this new law, the motto could be added to be “inscribed on such coins as shall admit of such motto.”
But the new motto wasn’t used consistently. It fell off the five-cent coin from 1883 to 1938, and was missing from the double eagle gold coin minted in 1907.
In May 1908, in response to popular demand, Congress ordered the restoration of the motto to the double eagle, making it mandatory on all coins that previously had it — but it still wasn’t required on the one- or five-cent coin.
It showed up on the penny beginning in 1909, and on the dime in 1910, and has remained in continuous use on all gold coins, silver dollar coins, half-dollar coins, and quarters struck since July 1, 1908.
On July 30, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law a Joint Resolution of Congress which declared, officially, “IN GOD WE TRUST” as the national motto of the United States. It then began appearing on paper currency, beginning with the one-dollar Silver Certificate in 1957.
What inscriptions do you consider most important on American currency? What would you add or remove?
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Check back later this week for more on the history of this significant phrase.
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