Besides United States of America, what words are found on every U.S. coin?

Beyond "United States of America," two phrases consistently grace every U.S. coin: "E PLURIBUS UNUM" and "LIBERTY." The Latin phrase "E PLURIBUS UNUM," translating to "Out of many, one," served as the original unofficial motto of the United States. It was first suggested for the Great (Review) Seal in 1776 by Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, symbolizing the powerful idea of thirteen disparate colonies uniting to form a single, strong nation. Its appearance on federal coinage began as early as 1795 on the half-eagle coin, and an 1873 law mandated its inclusion on all U.S. coins, solidifying its place as a core national sentiment.

The word "LIBERTY" holds an equally significant place in American numismatics. When Congress established the U.S. Mint in 1792, the Coinage Act specifically required that all coins feature an "impression emblematic of liberty" and the inscription "Liberty." This decision was a deliberate rejection of European monarchical traditions of placing rulers' portraits on currency. Instead, the young nation chose to highlight its foundational principle of freedom. For over a century, this ideal was often personified by the mythical goddess Liberty, whose evolving depictions on coins, from flowing hair to seated or standing figures, reflected America's changing self-image.

These enduring inscriptions serve as miniature historical documents in our pockets. While "In God We Trust" became the official national motto in 1956 and is also found on all current coinage, "E PLURIBUS (Review) UNUM" and "LIBERTY" have been fundamental to U.S. coin design since the nation's earliest days, continuously reminding us of the country's origins as a unified and free republic.