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From Treasury Department
records it appears that the
first suggestion that God be
recognized on U.S. coinage can
be traced to a letter
addressed to the Secretary of
Treasury from a minister in
1861. An Act of Congress,
approved on April 11,
1864, authorized the
coinage of two-cent coins upon
which the motto first
appeared.
The motto was omitted from the
new gold coins issued in 1907,
causing a storm of public
criticism. As a result,
legislation passed in May 1908
made "In God We Trust"
mandatory on all coins on
which it had previously
appeared.
Legislation approved July
11, 1955, made the
appearance of "In God We
Trust" mandatory on all coins
and paper currency of the
United States. By Act of July
30, 1956, "In God We
Trust" became the national
motto of the United States.
Several years ago, the
appearance of "In God We
Trust" on our money was
challenged in the federal
courts. The challenge was
rejected by the lower federal
courts, and the Supreme Court
of the United States declined
to review the case.
The presidents that appear on
the obverse (front) side of
our circulating coins were all
selected by Congress in
recognition of their service
to our country. However, they
were chosen under slightly
different circumstances.
Designed by Victor Brenner,
the Lincoln cent was issued in
1909 to commemorate the 100th
anniversary of Abraham
Lincoln's birth. Felix
Schlag's portrait of Thomas
Jefferson, which began to
appear on the obverse side of
the nickel in 1938, was chosen
in a design competition among
some 390 artists.
The death of Franklin
Roosevelt prompted many
requests to the Treasury
Department to honor the late
president by placing his
portrait on a coin. Less than
one year after his death, the
dime bearing John R. Sinnock's
portrait of Franklin D.
Roosevelt was released to the
public on FDR's birthday, January
30, 1946.
The portrait of George
Washington by John Flanagan,
which appears on quarters
minted from 1932 to today, was
selected to commemorate the
200th anniversary of our first
president's birth.
The assassination of President
John F. Kennedy generated such
an outpouring of public
sentiment that President
Lyndon Johnson sent
legislation to Congress to
authorize the Treasury
Department new 50-cent
pieces. Bearing the portrait
designed by Gilroy Roberts,
the first Kennedy half-dollars
were minted on February
11, 1964. |