"IN GOD WE TRUST", the motto on all our present coins, is the most controversial subject about our coinage. As you probably know it came into being when the two-cent coin was struck in 1864. Also, you probably know there are two sizes of mottoes on the 1864 two-cent piece. The small and large motto. The small is the pricey one. Here are some trivia on the motto you might not know. It never appeared on any three-cent piece nor any 20 cent piece. It's first appearance on a cent was on the Lincoln Head cent of 1909. It is on Mercury and Roosevelt dimes, but, no earlier dimes. It is on Barber quarters, Standing Liberty quarters, all Washington quarters including the 1976 Bicentennial quarters and all Statehood quarters. It was added to the Liberty Seated 1866 halves' reverse and is on Barber halves, Liberty Walking halves, Franklin and all Kennedy halves including 1976 Bicentennial halves. It was put on Liberty Seated dollars in 1866 and is on the short run Trade dollar including the proof only strikes, Morgan dollars, Peace dollars, Ike dollars including 1976 Bicentennial pieces, Susan B Anthony dollars and the Sacagawea dollars. What about nickels? Nickels are a special case: The motto was placed on Shield nickels, but not on Liberty Head (V) nickels or Buffalo (Indian Head) nickels In 1938 it was restored to the Jefferson nickel and is on all of them including the 2006 Peace Medal, 2004 Keelboat, 2005 American Bison and the 2005 Ocean in View pieces. Let me know if you enjoted you this bit of trivia. Oh, by the way, the largest size motto is on Franklin halves. Clinker
