On this day in history, in 1864 legislation was introduced to congress, and passed, to allow for the placement of the motto "In God We Trust" to be put on one and two cent pieces. Though the congress appoved it's use in would be 70 years later before congress made it our official moto.
Was separate legislation passed to add it permit it on all coinage in 1866? If so, interesting that as it was allowed on the cent in 1864, the cent was the last coin to adopt it in 1909.
On this day in AD 238, the Roman senate outlawed the emperor Maximinus Thrax for his bloodthirsty proscriptions in Rome. I think he was Jay Leno's ancestor.
Yes, the legislation permitted the Director to include the motto on all coins upon which it would fit. It was NOT made mandatory that it be included, the decision on whether or not to include it was left up to the Director. that was why it didn't appear on the one cent, three cent, half dime, dime, gold dollar, or quarter eagle. they were thought to be too small. That is also why it did not appear on the 1907 Saint-Gaudens gold coins. Roosevelt didn't like the idea of the motto appearing on coins, and they were trying to reduce the clutter on the coins. When they realized that the use of the motto was not mandatory, they left it off. The public objection lead to new legislation that made the appearance of the motto mandatory on all coins that it had been on previously. Technically that meant that it did NOT have to appear on the Lincoln cent, the Mercury dime, or the Indian quarter eagle. But it was included on them anyway. (Making the dime the last coin to adopt it, not the Lincoln Cent.) Oddly enough by law it DID have to appear on the Buffalo nickel, but doesn't.
There is an interesting history of where that motto came from. It is a revision of lyrics of the "Star Spangled Banner".
