So I've decided to delve into one of the most famous of Masonic conspiracies, the ONE DOLLAR BILL.
I have read books and watched documentaries on the subject and I still laugh when I see conspirators talk about some grand plan of the Craft to put messages in the Dollar Bill.
THE GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Let us start with the Great Seal. Conspirators try to point out that Masons designed it, but what they don't realize it that Ben Franklin was only on the 1st committee. There were a few more committees that didn't include any Masons.
Let's start with the the hidden anagram. If you look at the 13-stars above the Eagles head you are able to draw a 6-pointed star (Star of David). Then take that star and place it over the disc with the pyramid and all-seeing eye. Five of the points point toward the letters: A, S, N, O, and M. Switch them around and you get 'MASON'. Many conspirators believe this "definitively" proves the Masons have their hand in the making of the One Dollar Bill and from that the government. I personally think this is folly. It's the same argument conspirators use to say Masons designed the roads in Washington DC.
The Eagle. There are a couple things I have heard about the Eagle on the bill: a) it's really a Phoenix and b) the Eagle connects Freemasonry to the Egyptian god Aman-Ra. To start out, Ben Franklin (Freemason, Founding Father, statesman, and member of first great seal design committee) originally wanted a Turkey to be the American bird. He believed it be a courageous bird. As for the Phoenix twist, I have yet to see the Phoenix in any of my ceremonies. Nor do we have a connection to the Egyptian sun god Aman-Ra. Some point out the whole All-Seeing Eye is the Eye of Ra, but I'll get to that later. Some point out that the wings have 32-feathers on one wing and 33-feathers on another. I believe this to be a spectacular coincidence and not some connection to the Scottish Rite. The American Bald Eagles seemed like a symbol for strength and freedom, thus the reason it was picked.
E Pluribus Unum is not often used as a conspiracy support, but lets cover it. Out of Many, One. It refers to one nation created out of many individual states. That's it.
Let's jump to the other disc. At the top is written, Annuit Coeptis: God has favored our undertaking. At the bottom is written, Novus Ordo Seclorum: New Order of the Ages, though conspiracy theorists say it means "New World Order. Conspirators say that the two phrases taken together means "God has favored this New World Order". But anyone who has the smallest knowledge of Latin would know it really says "New Order of the Ages".
To a very familiar symbol to all the Craft, the All-Seeing Eye. A very "damning" piece of evidence for the conspiracy, supposedly. While the All-Seeing Eye is frequently used in Freemasonry this symbol is also used and has been used in mainstream religions with the same meaning; God.
As for the pyramid, I have heard from the same "Egyptian mythology" conspirators that the pyramid is where Masons are initiated. Masons know otherwise.
At the base of the pyramid are some plants. Some say it is the acasia which certainly would be a symbol of Freemasonry. While it seems too small to depict, it would be very funny if it was an acasia.
Let's play the number game. The theory is that the number 13 is a number held in high esteem by Masons. I laugh because while 13 is used every on the dollar bill it couldn't possibly be a reference to the original 13-colonies.
If anyone else has anything to contribute I would love to hear your thoughts and theories.