How "In God We Trust" Became A Motto On US Mone

Hello folks!
I ran across an article in the supplement Coin Values Magazine to the March 7th issue of Coin World. It was written by Coin World editor Beth Deisher and was about how the motto "In God We Trust" made its way on to U.S. coinage and about 100 years later onto our currency. In November 1861 a Rev. M.R. Watkinson of Ridleyville, PA, wrote then Secretary of the Treasury Salmon. P. Chase asking that a motto in some way referring to God be placed on our coinage. The Treasury under Lincoln thought that doing so might inspire those fighting to save the Union. After the usual debates it was decided that "In God We Trust" would be added to the Nations Coinage starting with the 2-cent denomination in early 1864. Spin ahead to 1953 and to a gentleman named Matt Rothert. He noted while in Church one Sunday and looking at the collection basket that Currency did not have the motto. Being a coin collector, and then holding the office as President of the Arkansas Numismatic Society, he was well aware that the motto existed on coinage. While at an Arkansas Numismatic Society meeting he ran the idea of proposing the adding of the motto to currency and received an overwhelmingly positive response from his fellow collectors. In 1953 following in the footsteps and citing the action in 1861 of Rev. Watkinson Mr. Rothert wrote a letter to Secretary of the Treasury George M, Humphrey (also sending a copy to President Eisenhower) asking to legislate the change. After several tough years of lobbying and letter writing campaigns the measure was finally approved on June 7th, 1955 and signed into law by Eisenhower on July 11th 1955. The motto made its debut on some 1957 $1 silver certificates but was not on all currency until 1963. Thanks to Beth Deisher of Coin World for a great article and please excuse my condensed plagiarism! Mike