History In 1778, the
Second Continental Congress named
John Witherspoon,
Gouverneur Morris and
Richard Henry Lee to design seals for the Treasury and the Navy. The committee reported on a design for the Navy the following year, but there is no record of a report about a seal for the Treasury. who was one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence and also contributed to the design of the
Great Seal of the United States. He is known to have later submitted bills to the Congress in 1780 seeking payment for his design of flags, currency, and several seals, including one for the Board of Treasury. The earliest known usage of the seal was in 1782. When the United States Government was established in 1789, the new Department of the Treasury continued to use the existing seal. The reason for the original wording that embraced all of North America is unknown, Initially the U.S. government had no means to produce bills on its own, so the first paper bills were printed by private firms and then sent to the Treasury Department for final processing. Along with trimming and separating the bills, this processing included the overprinting of the seal onto the notes (even today, the serial number and seal are overprinted on the notes after the face has been printed). This was the beginning of what was later known as the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing. In July 1869, the Bureau began to print notes on its own. For several decades, the color and style of the printed seal varied greatly from issue to issue (and even within the same issue). The basic seal was the same, but the circumferences were embellished with lathework decoration such as scallops, beading, or spikes. Among the colors used for the seal during this period were red, blue, and brown. The seal contains a symbolic strongbox, with the Scales of Justice on top. Lying beside the strongbox is a capable looking watchdog, with his left front paw securely clasping a large key. The seal bears the lettering "U.S. Treasury", and is bordered by a wreath. The scales and the key are also incorporated on the official seal. The
United States Mint did in fact own a real watchdog named Nero, who was originally purchased in 1793 for $3 and accompanied the night watchman on his rounds. Treasury documents record further expenditures for Nero and successor watchdogs over the following twenty-five years, and currently Sherman. According to department legend, Nero is the canine depicted on the seal, and may have been the origin (or at least the inspiration) of the term "Watchdog of the Treasury". ==Flag==