<P> A version of the motto made an early appearance on obverse side of the twenty dollar interest bearing note issued in 1864 along with the motto "God and our Right". </P> <P> As Chase was preparing his recommendation to Congress, it was found that the Act of Congress dated January 18, 1837 prescribed the mottoes and devices that should be placed upon the coins of the United States . This meant that the mint could make no changes without the enactment of additional legislation by the Congress . Such legislation was introduced and passed as the Coinage Act of 1864 on April 22, 1864, allowing the Secretary of the Treasury to authorize the inclusion of the phrase on one - cent and two - cent coins . </P> <P> An Act of Congress passed on March 3, 1865, allowed the Mint Director, with the Secretary's approval, to place the motto on all gold and silver coins that "shall admit the inscription thereon". In 1873, Congress passed the Coinage Act, granting that the Secretary of the Treasury "may cause the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to be inscribed on such coins as shall admit of such motto". </P> <P> The similar phrase' In God is our Trust' appears in "The Star - Spangled Banner", adopted as the national anthem of the United States in 1931 . Written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, the fourth stanza includes the phrase, "And this be our motto:' In God is our Trust"', which was adapted as the national motto . </P>

History of in god we trust on american money