# Silver certificate question... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 31, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-certificate-question/151932 "2003-01-31T19:28:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-certificate-question/151932/1 "2003-01-31T19:28:36Z")
My friend has recently come into the fortunate possession of a 1935 "silver certicficate. We were wondering if anyone knew of an exact theory pertaining to why the motto “In God We Trust” is not featured on the back (above the one) like it is on modern day U.S. dollar bills. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![SteelWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@SteelWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteelWolf)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-certificate-question/151932/2 "2003-01-31T19:34:57Z")
From the US Treasury: One-dollar silver certificates series 1935, 1935-A, 1935-B, 1935-C, 1935-D, 1935-E, 1935-F, 1935-G, and 1935-H were all printed on the older flat-bed presses by the wet intaglio process. P.L. 84-140 recognized that an enormous expense would be associated with immediately replacing the costly printing plates. The law allowed BEP to gradually convert to the inclusion of IN GOD WE TRUST on the currency [http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/in-god-we-trust.html](http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/in-god-we-trust.html) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-certificate-question/151932/3 "2003-01-31T20:10:03Z")
THE BEP website article is correct, but poorly written in my opinion. Thus, to add to **SteelWolf’s** answer, there was a renewed religious groundswell in the American Public in the early 1950’s under Eisenhower. So the government decided to make “In God We Trust” our National Motto in 1956. The next year, 1957, the Government decided to print $! silver certs with the new motto on them. They’re dated 1957. The government was STILL PRINTING $! silver certs with the 1935 date on them in 1961. They printed some in 1958 with the new motto. Those notes were still dated 1935(with the series letter “G” after the date. To repeat, the motto wasn’t put on the notes until 1957, no matter what the date on the note says. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-certificate-question/151932/4 "2003-01-31T20:13:36Z")
To correct a wrong date in my reply, the 1935G and 1935H notes were printed in 1961, not 1958. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-certificate-question/151932/5 "2003-01-31T20:46:09Z")
Thanks for the replies. It really stands out where the motto is supposed to go. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-certificate-question/151932/6 "2003-01-31T21:37:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > THE BEP website article is correct, but poorly written in my opinion. > > Thus, to add to **SteelWolf’s** answer, there was a renewed religious groundswell in the American Public in the early 1950’s under Eisenhower. So the government decided to make “In God We Trust” our National Motto in 1956. The next year, 1957, the Government decided to print $! silver certs with the new motto on them. They’re dated 1957. \ And it was that same religious groundswell in 1954 that caused Congress to add “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. \