History and Origin of the Currency
Surprisingly, “Dollar” comes from a German word: “Thaler.” It was used in the 16th century in Bohemia, where the first coins, extracted from a silver mine, were minted. The Thaler was then exported in South America before migrating northward.
Until fairly recently, the $ sign represented the two pillars of Hercules, surrounded by an S-shaped banner reading "PLUS" and "ULTRA". This meant that we could go beyond “NEC PLUS ULTRA” symbolized by Hercules’ columns.
Coins and Banknotes
Coins
On the back side of a coin, we frequently see animals : eagle, Great seal of USA or bison, or historical monuments : Capitol, White House...)
Banknotes
American bills are found in six different denominations. On the front, there are figures who were instrumental to the construction and history of the United States. On the back, there are monuments that are symbolic of the country, except for the one dollar bill, on which we see the Great Seal of the United States: the eagle and the pyramid. At the top of the pyramid, we find the eye of Providence (often associated with Freemasonry). On this bill, we also see 13 stars representing the original 13 states and the slogan ""He approves of our undertakings"" and ""New Secular Order.""
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