excerpted from the Feb/Mar 1999 issue of What's New in Numismatics?
Through the years, I have plucked several notes from circulation that have had, for lack of a better term, political statements added to the note with the help of a rubber stamp. I will now describe a few in my collection and add my observations.
The first note is a 1976 $2 Federal Reserve Note with the phrase, "THESE ARE FARM DOLLARS" stamped twice on the front and twice on the back of the note in red ink. This would represent the significant spending of the farmers in a community.
The second note is a 1974 $1 Federal Reserve Note with the saying, "AND IS NOT LAWFUL MONEY NOR REDEEMABLE IN SPECIE" stamped twice in red ink diagonally on the left half of the note. Apparently, this is a disclaimer added to the obligation clause of the note which reads "THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE". Also, on the back of the note stamped in red ink is the phrase, "U.S. CONSTITUTION Know It - Use It or Lose It". Both phrases taken together point out that the U.S. Constitution says, "make any thing but gold and silver (specie) coin a tender in payment of debts".
Note number three has "THERE IS NO GOD WE CAN TRUST" stamped in red ink on the back of a 1977A $1 Federal Reserve Note. This is an atheistic statement added to the note right below the motto, "IN GOD WE TRUST". Red ink was used on all three of these notes probably so that the added stamped phrases would stand out to whoever received these notes during normal business transactions.
The fourth note is a 1993 $5 Federal Reserve Note with "GAY $" stamped in black ink vertically to the left of Lincoln's portrait. This added phrase to the note would point out that gays represent a lot of purchasing power.
The final note is a recent find and is a 1995 $1 Federal Reserve Note with a marijuana leaf stamped to the left of Washington's portrait in green ink and a speech balloon with the words, "I GREW HEMP" coming from Washington's lips stamped in purple ink. These added stamp-ons emphasize the pursuit of some people to have hemp legalize for the rope and clothing industry and it was even grown by George Washington on his plantation in the 1700's!
The Treasury Department looks unkindly on the idea of using our currency to promote slogans and advertisements. It is prohibited by Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 475.
Although not valuable, these notes are very interesting to add to one's currency collection. I'm sure there are many more different examples of stamped-on political statements in circulation. Be sure to look closely at the notes you receive!