Although the dollar bill is printed daily and not an artifact, its symbolism is historically and culturally significant.
On July 6, 1785, the dollar bill was adopted as the official monetary unit of the new United States. This helped lay the foundation for the young nation’s financial system. It contains the official seal, which was approved on June 20, 1782.
There were three committees appointed to create a seal depicting all that the War for Independence meant. In 1776 the first committee of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson submitted their recommendations. It wasn’t until the Treaty of Paris that an official seal was selected. Charles Thomson, Secretary of the U.S. Congress, combined the ideas from the three committees and submitted a final proposal that was approved. It is depicted on the back right side of the American one dollar bill. This Great Seal is meant to depict to posterity all that the American Revolution meant.
Shown inside the circle is an American bald eagle with the 13 original states represented on its breast shield with 13 stripes; in the left talon, holding 13 arrows; and on a crest above its head, holding 13 stars. The eagle’s head faces an olive branch on the right, symbolizing peace. A scroll in its beak has the Latin motto “E Pluribus Unum” which translates to “out of many, one.” By facing the olive branch rather than the arrows, the eagle is meant to show that war is fought for the sake of peace.
Dollars can be found inside the donation box in the front hall of the Botetourt Museum of History & Culture in Fincastle. Since the museum is free to the public, all donations are welcomed.
~ Botetourt County Museum of History & Culture
