PAPER MONEY
Rags make paper,
Paper makes money,
Money makes banks.
Banks make loans,
Loans make beggars,
Beggars make rags.
---Unknown 18th century author
This poem makes you wonder, doesn't it? Oh, the paper trail is much longer, I'm sure. Isn't that interesting! In a recent class, we read the poem and then had a few moments of silence. Money gave me random thoughts about how money is earned, spent, buys stuff, needed, stolen, missed, never enough.
This evening, a former colleage of mine, formerly KW passed away. We parted and went separate ways to other Brokerage Firms 14 years ago. He was only 57. He leaves behind 2, 3, or 4 children and wife. What I remember most is that the two of us spent most of our hours days and nights at the office working well into the night. Sadly, money didn't buy him a long life. We take the money to the bank but never to the grave.
What Does It Mean When There Are Coins On A Gravestone?
If you see coins on a gravestone, don't touch it. It signifies that the person buried there was a member of the military. These coins are a meaningful way for people to convey their pride in the loved one who is no longer with them. Visitors of the deceased member can leave a coin on the headstone so when other loved ones come to the cemetery, they're aware that others have been to pay their respects. This moving sentiment can make a tremendous impact on the family of the deceased military folks, which is why it is a special tradition. It is also important to take note of the type of coin on the stone. For instance, different coins hold different meanings.
Different Coins Found On A Headstone Have Different Meanings
A penny is for gratitude from a person who visited the headstone, thanking the person for their service. Anyone can leave a penny, whether they are a family member, friend, neighbor, or fellow service member.
If there is a nickel on the gravestone, this means that the visitor who left it went to boot camp with the person buried.
A dime signifies that the visitor served with the deceased military member.
Seeing a quarter has a particularly heavy association. If you notice a quarter, this signifies that a previous visitor was present when the soldier passed away.
Respectfully, if you see a coin at a gravestone, you'll know the proper way to leave a coin.
If you ever have a chance to take a course called "The Sweep of American History as Revealed through Currency and Coins," by David Higgins, I highly recommend it. His course began with Alexander the Great and how he built his emperor with gold coins. Gold staters are highly valued, typically with Athena on one side and Nike the godess of victory on the other side of the coin. They were used for rewards in the military. An original Gold Stater (the equivalent of one soldier's monthly pay would now be $3,000 and $20,000, depending on condition.
The earliest Miss Liberty Coin was dated 1793 to 1797 and was worth 1/2 cent. Miss Liberty wears the Phrygian a soft conical cap with the apex bent over the front associated with ancient peoples in Eastern Europe and Anatolia, including Phrygia, Dacia, and the Balkans. Overtime, they came to signify freedom and the pursuit of liberty. The Phrygian cap is often seen in Turkey and is found on many ancient sculptures, paper dollars, and coins.
Each paper currency tells a story, but not all are true. For example, the real Native American Indian depicted below only had three feathers representing his tribe but, on the currency, the wrong headdress was printed.
The George Morgan T. Dollar originally dated between 1878 to 1921. Many other Morgan dollars flourished between 1941, 1877, and 1884.
An interesting symbol used on the statue of Abraham Lincoln, in Illinois and other government buildings, including paper currency is the Fasces. It is bundle of wooden rods most often with an axe emerging from the bundle. They symbolized unity. This is an Italian symbol that originated in Etruscan civilization. At the Lincoln Memorial - Trust for the National Mall, you see Lincoln's hands upon the fasces.
Bank Notes are interesting, and each one tells a story and a history lesson. A bank note is a negotiable promissory note which one party can use to pay a specific amount of money. We talked about some from Utah and Boston. Below is a Gold Note.
Something to think about:
In 2024, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) approved a print order for Federal Reserve notes containing a range of 5.3 billion to 6.9 billion notes, valued at $180.5 billion to $204.4 billion1. More than half of the production will be for $1 notes and $100 notes2.
Source: federalreserve.gov
Note: the information was learned from a class called "The Sweep of American History and Culture as Revealed through Currency and Coins." Not for AI or taken without permission.
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