As you teach your kids to appreciate each dollar they earn, save and spend during their lifetimes, sharing the history of the dollar itself might further add to their sense of appreciation.
Did you know, for example, that "dollar" refers to worth, not the printed bill? And why is our currency green? The Bureau of Engraving and Printing responds to this often-asked question by explaining that "patent green" ink was developed in the mid-1800s to help prevent counterfeiting, and it ultimately became the standard color.
The U.S. Treasury Department and the U.S. Department of State, the official keeper of the United States Seal, offer the following facts about the dollar bill's symbolism:
- The front of the bill shows the Department of the Treasury seal, dated 1789. It features the scales of justice, a chevron with 13 stars representing the original 13 colonies and a key symbolizing national authority.
- Before the Continental Congress adjourned on July 4, 1776, it appointed a committee of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson - three of the five drafters of the Declaration of Independence - to develop a seal. It took six years and two more committees and a total of 14 men to produce the final version.
- On the back of the bill you'll see the official Great Seal of the United States that the final committee developed. There are two circles because the seal actually has two sides.
So next time you or your kids use a dollar bill, you can appreciate the more than two centuries of American history it represents. Who knows, you might even find that reflecting on the Founding Fathers' sacrifices will encourage your family to use its dollars more wisely!