A digital history of American currency.
Imperial Dollar Project
October 8, 2016
Christopher Columbus–and the holiday bearing his name–doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon. American money tells a different story.
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September 23, 2016
The Origins of In God We Trust
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How and why the ubiquitous, and sometimes controversial, motto “In God We Trust” made its way–and has kept its place–on American money.
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September 22, 2016
So-called dollarized economies, like Ecuador’s, are a powerful way the United States foists the visual power of its currency throughout the hemisphere and globe. In this piece, we explore how widespread informal dollarization operates side-by-side to influence everyday life in Latin America.
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September 15, 2016
Adolph A. Weinman designed some of America’s most memorable coinage. A skilled sculptor and engraver, his architectural work is still prominently displayed in monuments and buildings all over United States cities. But Weinman is probably best remembered for his medalist and numismatic work. In 1916, the U.S. Mint released three of his designs as circulating currency–each a masterpiece in […]
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September 14, 2016
6 Reasons Why Bitcoin Will Fail
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I recently threw my hat into the bitcoin universe. As a historian and numismatist, I’ve long held mixed feelings about the “cryptocurrency,” but—in a moment of weakness—decided the only way to truly understand it was to, well, own some. But doing so has only further convinced me of beliefs that I held toward it beforehand. […]
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September 10, 2016
Andrew Jackson and Women on 20s
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Brief notes on Andrew Jackson, his relationship to paper money, and the controversial future of the 20-dollar bill.
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