# Is the dollar bill's eye-on-a-pyramid the symbol of a secret society? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 18, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society/162166 "2003-03-18T01:13:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bassist87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@bassist87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bassist87)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society/162166/1 "2003-03-18T01:13:55Z")
This article covers most everything about the theories except a few things it forgot; -first is the text out side the symbol, this reads _ANNUIT COEPTIS NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM_ for this I get a translation: The new order of ages declared things undertaken. -second, and I’ll have to check my source on this, President Truman put this symbol on the dollar. By some he is thought to have been a member of the illuminati himself. I question the credibility of this. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society/162166/2 "2003-03-18T04:09:59Z")
[The Master Speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_022.html) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society/162166/3 "2003-03-18T04:28:39Z")
> [@](#): > > -second, and I’ll have to check my source on this, President Truman put this symbol on the dollar. Actually, Harry wasn’t there in 1929 when the new, smaller-sized notes came out with that design. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society/162166/4 "2003-03-18T13:47:02Z")
The symbols on the back of the dollar bill are, as the bill itself plainly indicates, the Great Seal of the United States, which, as Cecil states, has been around since June 20, 1782. This is the original document describing it, with comments by the designer. > [@](#): > > The Secretary of the United States in Congress assembled to whom were referred the several reports of committees on the device for a great seal, to take order, reports > > That the Device for an Armorial Achievement & Reverse of the great seal of the United States in Congress assembled is as follows.– > > Arms > Paleways of thirteen pieces Argent and Gules: a Chief, Azure. The Escutcheon on the breast of the American bald Eagle displayed, proper, holding in his dexter talon an Olive branch, and in his sinister a bundle of thirteen arrows, all proper, & in his beak a scroll, inscribed with this Motto. “E pluribus unum”.– For those who don’t understand heraldry, that means a shield with thirteen alternating vertical stripes of silver and red, with a thick blue horizontal stripe on top. The shield is being held on the breast of an American bald eagle facing the viewer (except the head) with wings and legs out, in natural color. Its right talon (left from the viewer’s direction) holds an olive branch and its left (viewer’s right) holds thirteen arrows. All of that is also in its natural colors. The eagle is holding a scroll in its beak; the scroll reads “E pluribus unum” (“From many, one”). > [@](#): > > For the Crest > Over the head of the Eagle which appears above the Escutcheon, A Glory, Or, breaking through a cloud, proper, & surrounding thirteen stars forming a Constellation, Argent, on an Azure field.– That means that over the eagle’s head is a golden sunburst, breaking through a cloud in natural coloring. The sunburst surrounds thirteen silver stars on a blue background, which make up a design. > [@](#): > > Reverse > A Pyramid unfinished. In the Zenith an Eye in a triangle surrounded with a glory proper. Over the Eye these words “Annuit Coeptis”. On the base of the pyramid the numerical letters MDCCLXXVI & underneath the following motto. “novus ordo seclorum” “Glory” and “proper” as before. “Annuit Coeptis” means “…has favored [certain] undertakings”, the intended sense being “The all-seeing eye [of God] has favored our undertakings.” “Novus ordo seclorum” is officially translated “[a] new order of the ages”, though it is amusing to note that it can also be legitimately translated as “new world order”. Thomson’s Remarks and Explanation > [@](#): > > The Escutcheon [shield] is composed of the chief & pale, the two most honorable ordinaries. An “ordinary” in heraldry is a geometric design, as opposed to lions, eagles, _etc…_ > [@](#): > > The Pieces, paly [arranged in vertical stripes], represent the several states all joined in one solid compact entire, supporting a Chief [the thick stripe on top], which unites the whole & represents Congress. It is important to remember that the Seal was adopted long before the Constitution of 1787 was even under consideration. > [@](#): > > The Motto alludes to this union. The pales in the arms are kept closely united by the chief and the Chief depends upon that union & the strength resulting from it for its support, to denote the Confederacy of the United States of America & the preservation of their union through Congress. > > The colours of the pales are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue, the colour of the Chief signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice. The Olive branch and arrows denote the power of peace & war which is exclusively vested in Congress. The Constellation denotes a new State taking its place and rank among other sovereign powers. The Escutcheon is born on the breast of an American Eagle without any other supporters to denote that the United States of America ought to rely on their own Virtue.– The usual arrangement of supporters, which are usually human, is to put one on each side > [@](#): > > Reverse. The pyramid signifies Strength and Duration: The Eye over it & the Motto allude to the many signal interpositions of providence in favour of the American cause. The date underneath is that of the Declaration of Independence and the words under it signify the beginning of the new American Æra, which commences from that date.– ---
**Author:** ![bassist87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@bassist87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bassist87)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society/162166/5 "2003-03-19T03:29:04Z")
Thank you for the info on this, as I was unsure on some of it and the translation was my own. I am however relatively sure that novus ordo seclorum means new order of ages. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society/162166/6 "2003-03-19T15:11:42Z")
The English word “world” has a more complex range of meanings than its use in the last couple of centuries suggests. The traditional Christian tag, “…world without end,” translates Latin _“et in omnia saecula saeculorum”._ Copernicus and the idea that the planets (in the Copernican sense of the word “planet”) are “worlds” like the Earth seems to have caused the word to be narrowed down from its original meaning, which encompassed “universe”, “era”, and even “life”. (Etymologically, it is “wer-ald”, _i.e._ “man-age”.)