U.S. dollar bill has a great deal of symbolic meaning

At the Stanardsville American Legion Post 128 Veterans’ Day ceremony last week National Ground Intelligence Center Commander Col. Lisa Price told of the history of the United States Treasury’s one-dollar bill.
In response to requests for copies, the Greene County Record is publishing that portion of Price’s speech.
Price began by asking everyone to reach into his or her pockets and take out a one-dollar bill. She explained that the so-called paper money is in fact a material; a cotton and linen blend with red and blue minute silk fibers running through it.
“The material is overprinted with symbols and then it is starched to make it water resistant and pressed to give it that nice crisp look.
“On the front of the bill you will see the United States Treasury Seal. On the top you will see the scales for a balanced budget. In the center you have a carpenter’s square, a tool used for an even cut. Underneath is the key to the United States Treasury.
“If you turn the bill over, you will see two circles. Both circles, together, comprise the Great Seal of the United States. The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and others come up with a seal. It took four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved.
“If you look at the left-hand circle, you will see a pyramid. Notice the face is lighted, and the western side is dark.  This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the West or decide what we could do for Western Civilization.
“The pyramid is uncapped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the capstone you have the all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin’s belief that one man couldn’t do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything.
“‘IN GOD WE TRUST’ is on this currency.
“The Latin above the pyramid, ‘ANNUIT COEPTIS,’ means, ‘God has favored our undertaking.’ The Latin below the pyramid, ‘NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM,’ means, ‘A new order has begun.’ At the base of the pyramid is the Roman numeral for 1776. 
“If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you will learn that it is on every National Cemetery in the United States. It is also the centerpiece of most heroes’ monuments. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States, and it is always visible whenever he speaks; yet very few people know what the symbols mean.
“The bald eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no crown. We had just broken from the king of England.
Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying Congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation. 
In the eagle’s beak you will read, ‘E PLURIBUS UNUM,’ meaning, ‘one nation from many people.’ Notice what the eagle holds in his talons, an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace.     
“Above the Eagle, you have 13 stars, representing the 13 original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one.
“They say that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this: 13 original colonies, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the pyramid, 13 letters in the Latin above, 13 letters in ‘E Pluribus Unum,’ 13 stars above the Eagle, 13 bars on that shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, and if you look closely, 13 arrows.
“And, for minorities: the 13th Amendment. And so very sadly and tragically, 13 fallen soldiers on our own ground at Fort Hood.”