Quote:
I came across an ad in the Smithsonian Magazine that describes how they came across James Longacres' notes from 1864 regarding the addition of a religious motto to coins. His first attempt of a motto used the words "Our Trust is in God" and was to be placed on the $20 Gold Double Eagle.
That makes it even worse. Using a fiction to try and create interest in these private medals. To the best I know, they never used the motto "Our trust is in God" on ANY pattern coin. That quote was suggested in the letter from the Reverend to the Secretary of the Treasury but it was never used on a pattern. Mottos actually considered were "God, Liberty, and Law", "Our God and Our Country", "God our Trust, and finally "In God We Trust".
And it was never considered for use on the double eagle until 1866 (Because the addition of the motto would require Congressional action.), two years after the final version was used on the
Two Cent Piece. And they did not consider using a different motto on the double eagle.