You carry them around constantly; you work hard for them; you like to save and spend them; yet, it is a pretty safe bet that you do not understand the meanings of three Latin phrases found on the back of them! Since 1935, the Great Seal of the United States of America has been shown on the reverse side of the One Dollar Bill. There is actually a "front" and "back" to the seal, the back or pyramid side is shown on the left half of the bill, and the front or eagle side of the seal is shown on the right half. Only the eagle side physically exists as an actual seal which gets used on official occasions.

Annuit means to nod assent, to favor, to smile upon.
Coeptis means undertakings, endeavors, beginnings.

Annuit coeptis means "favors (lit., gives the nod to) undertakings." The subject must be supplied. Who favors? Look just above the pyramid.
The Eye (Providence) does.

The verb annuit can be either present tense or perfect tense, therefore an accurate translation of the motto is: "Providence favors our undertakings" or "Providence has favored our undertakings." (The word "our" is supplied.)

(It has also been translated as: "He favors our undertakings" or "He has prospered our endeavors.")

Novus means: new, young, novel. Ordo means: row, series, order. Seclorum means: of the ages, of the generations, of the centuries.

An accurate translation of Novus Ordo Seclorum is "A New Order of the Ages."

To check out the meanings of the symbols within the seal (such as the unfinished pyramid, the number of levels and the Roman Numerals), go to: www.GreatSeal.com.

E means: "out of"
Pluribus means: "plural or many"
Unum means: "unit or one"

Hense the phrase: "Out of many, one."

E Pluribus Unum describes an action: Many uniting into one – an image that suggests a wonderful metaphor for America.

To check out the meanings of the symbols within the seal (such as the olive branch and the arrows), go to: www.GreatSeal.com.

And now, you know!
So, just how long will you remember this?!