Do you know the true meaning of a dollar? Few people do. Now an expert on arcane symbolism uncovers the fascinating secret meanings behind the design of the money we use every day.
In The Secret Symbols of the Dollar Bill, David Ovason explores the visual complexity and magic behind the world's most influential currency. Lively and readable, this extraordinary book invites you to take a dollar bill in hand and set off on a visual adventure. You will discover dazzling explanations of its secret contents--from the symbols derived from the Great Seal to the extraordinary strands of numerology interwoven into its structure, to surprising hidden alignments.
Once you discover the magic and mystery revealed in The Secret Symbols of the Dollar Bill, you will find that the dollar in your wallet is worth so much more than what you can buy with it.
Editorial Review(s)
"Told that there is hidden magic and meaning at work in the one-dollar bill, many Americans would snort, replying that the only magic was in how to stretch one further. Nevertheless, Ovason's meticulous research into the history and design of the dollar bill reveals little-known aspects of the note we exchange every day. He shows, for instance, how the dollar serves as testament to the 13 original colonies. The bill's mottoes,"E Pluribus Unum" and "Annuit Coeptis" both have 13 characters. On the design on the reverse side, there are 13 levels to the pyramid; 13 olive leaves, olive berries and arrows clutched in the eagle's talons; 13 stars in the constellation above the eagle; and 13 vertical stripes in the eagle's shield. At times, Ovason seems to be reaching too far. He notes that the individual numbers in 1776 add up to 21--three times the magical number 7--as if the Founding Fathers chose the year of the American Revolution for its numerological significance. Still, most of Ovason's material appears to be historically grounded and much of it is fascinating. The dollar sign""$"", for example, likely originated from the symbol of a snake curving around a cross, much like the god Mercury's caduceus. Mercury was the Roman god of commerce, and therefore an apt emblem for currency. Likewise, the word "dollar" probably derives from the German"taler," a silver coin minted in Bohemia in 1519. While money is seldom mined for trivia, Ovason describes a lore as compelling as that of films or baseball." —Publishers Weekly
About the Author
David Ovason teaches astrology, and has studied the life and writings of Nostradamus for more than forty years. He is the author of several books, including The Secret Architecture of Our Nation's Capital, and he lives and works in England.
