U.S. money is nothing if not iconic, at least for Americans. It's full of history featuring memorable figures from America's developing days, a trove of intricate designs, and even a few conspiracy theories.
It's also remarkably consistent. We've all grown up with money's iconic green color, to the point where even the word "money" conjures up a green image. Even the slang term "greenbacks" refers to that hue.
But if you go back far enough into history, you'll see that the green color we've come to associate with money wasn't always there.
In America's earliest days, even before the Revolution had officially ended, the U.S.'s paper money was printed in shades of beige, black, and red, and sported a variety of designs — and lots of writing! They looked more like gift certificates or modern bonds than cash.
But they also give us a glimpse of what life was like over 300 years ago, when the country was first getting its independent footing after the colonial period.
While we think of something like a collection of colonial-era letters as being the real windows into the past, an everyday artifact like money can also show us so much.
Take a look at what might have been in your wallet in the late 1700s below, and let us know if you like this old look or today's design better!
[H/T: Atlas Obscura]
For most of the colonial period, trade consisted of bartering and using foreign money.
But soon, the colonies began printing their own money, which functioned more like a gift certificate. The bill would allow the recipient to withdraw silver money from a bank.
Also, there was no consistency. Each colony, and later state, printed up its own currency, so the values would vary.
Different states also used different types of currency, so a bill from Pennsylvania, like this one, would be in shillings while others would be in dollars.
You can also see when the U.S. declared its independence. This bill from 1771 still references British King George III.
They also all had their own unique designs, featuring intricate etchings and filigree.
Like modern money, this hard-to-reproduce design was made to discourage counterfeiters.
And if that wasn't enough, the bills often issued a very direct and stern warning against printing fake money.
The phrase "To counterfeit is death" shows up on bills from all over the original 13 colonies.
The bills also took the time to explain how paper money worked.
In a time when currency was still in the form of gold and silver coins, the paper bills explained to people that having one entitled them to a certain amount of "real" money.
They certainly looked very different, but you can see the beginnings of the money we use today.
This image is the reverse of the New York bill from above, showing what appears to be a pump, as well as the name of the printer.
But the transition wasn't smooth.
Colonial and Continental money, which was printed before and after the American Revolution, respectively, was a flop.
Other countries didn't recognize it, making trade nearly impossible.
But even though the Colonial and Continental currencies didn't last, they give us a fascinating look at history. And apparently plants were very popular!
At the same time, you can also see the symbols that would eventually become synonymous with the United States, like this eagle.
Also note that this bill created in 1776, was made right at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, is in dollars rather than shillings.
And the motto around the eagle, tellingly, translates to "The Outcome Is In Doubt."
Some of them are even downright funny.
This bill bears the strange amount of a third of a dollar, and the motto around a familiar-looking pyramid shape reads simply "MIND YOUR BUSINESS."
And here's the pyramid again.
This image of the unfinished pyramid still graces the back of the modern $1 bill, and symbolizes the eternal progress, growth, and improvement of the country.
This glimpse into history shows us how amazing the journey has been since the 1770s, and the fascinating story behind those bills in your pocket.
SHARE this with anyone who loves history, and give them a newfound appreciation for cold, hard cash!
