Whats that symbol on a US dollar about?

[Slick Rick]

You know, the pyramid with the eye on the top, what does it mean?

 

[Serge.D]

the eye of horus(the eye of ra)

 

[Slick Rick]

Well whats an ancient egyptian symbol got to do with American currency?

 

[Serge.D]

its a symbol of protection and power.

 

[Philly]

There is a lot of symbolism there. There are thirteen layers of blocks, probably to represent the 13 colonies. In the base is 1776, for obvious reasons. The eye of Providence watches over the unfinished pyramid, probably to symbolize protection. The shadow on the left represents the (no longer) unexplored west. The rising sun tells us a new nation has been born.

Why is on the $1 bill? The "official" seal is on the back. The pyramid thingy is the reverse of that seal. Thus, they include both on the back of the bill.

 

[Loon]

There is a lot of symbolism there. There are thirteen layers of blocks, probably to represent the 13 colonies. In the base is 1776, for obvious reasons. The eye of Providence watches over the unfinished pyramid, probably to symbolize protection. The shadow on the left represents the (no longer) unexplored west. The rising sun tells us a new nation has been born.

Why is on the $1 bill? The "official" seal is on the back. The pyramid thingy is the reverse of that seal. Thus, they include both on the back of the bill.

Thats really interesting, I can't believe I didn't know any of that.

I think that post is deserving of +rep because it was pretty helpful.👍

 

[Omnis]

The masons really like pyramids and obelisk stuff as well.

 

[Sureboss]

its a symbol of protection and power.

No that's a gun

 

[Pupik]

There is a lot of symbolism there. There are thirteen layers of blocks, probably to represent the 13 colonies. In the base is 1776, for obvious reasons. The eye of Providence watches over the unfinished pyramid, probably to symbolize protection. The shadow on the left represents the (no longer) unexplored west. The rising sun tells us a new nation has been born.

Well said, Joseph Campbell described in detail all the symbols of the $1 bill, in his book The Power of Myth. Some of it's right, some of it's wrong, but it makes for good reading. On the other hand, Kurt Vonnegut said the one dollar bill was filled with "baroque nonsense" in Breakfast of Champions.

Annuit Coeptis is Latin for "favors undertakings". I suppose that's a way of saying that God approves of the founding America (of course, He likes the founding of every nation), or that Capitalism is freely permitted in America.

Novus ordo seclorum is Latin for "A New Order of the Ages". During its founding, America was a place where thought, deed, religion, and money could be theoretically transacted in a safe manner, compared to the lands where they were oppressed. And although every state and territory had their own ideas about government action and the laws of the people, the Nation and its ideas binded us.

On the other side, there's the bald eagle, with an olive branch (representing peace) grasped by his talons, and arrows (representing war) in the other. He's looking towards peace, of course. (By the way, Great Seals do not change when America is at war, that's nonsense.) On top is a hexagram formed from 13 stars (from the thirteen original colonies). The hexagram is a common symbol not only in Judaism, but it also appears in cosmic order diagrams in Hellenistic, Coptic, Buddhist, Islamic, and Hindu cultures, both past and present. (Heck, it even appeared on an old Dodge Truck!)

It's interesting that American "greenbacks" of all other monetary denominations are pretty much devoid of any transcendent symbolism. Perhaps it was intended so even the poorest could get an idea what America was all about.