The first uses of "In God We Trust" on money did not appear until 1860 on privately minted coins. "In God We Trust" was later legally allowed to be printed on coins in 1865. The 1865 law allowing the use of "In God We Trust" on coins did not require it to be used however, and not all coins carried this motto.

Below is the continental dollar of the Revolutionary War, which was designed by Benjamin Franklin in 1776:

The mottos on this coin are "Mind Your Business" and "We Are One."

During the Revolutionary War states issued their own currencies as well. This fifty dollar note from South Carolina makes no mention of God, and in fact has an image from Greek mythology on the back of the note, depicting Atlas. The motto in Latin on the front of the bill reads: "Let foresight guide our people."

The back of this ninety dollar South Carolina note depicts Hercules wrestling a lion:

In 1837 Congress passed an Act that specified which mottos and phrases were allowed to be printed on currency; this included the national motto, "E Pluribus Unum" (From Many [comes] One). The motto was not required however.

1840 Half Dollar

In 1865, with the conclusion of the Civil War, a new Act was passed by Congress to allow the addition of the phrase "In God We Trust" to currency. "In God We Trust" was still not the national motto at this point and was not used on all money. It was simply allowed to be used on coins, and was used mostly on small denomination coins along with the national motto, "E Pluribus Unum."

1884 dollar coin with "In God We Trust"

States and private banks issued their own paper currency prior to the creation of the Federal Reserve. The following are examples of bills and state issued notes from the 1800s, most of which are the same on both sides:

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You should notice of course the common use of both the female form (often representing Liberty, Victory or Minerva) and classical imagery. The motto "In God We Trust" was not used on paper money.

Below are examples of federal currency issued prior to the creation of the Federal Reserve.

When the Federal Reserve was created in 1913 "In God We Trust" remained absent from paper currency.

For more on the history of American currency see: Historical American Currency Exhibit

The fact is that the majority of references to God in our government came during the 1950s.

In regard to the use of "In God We Trust" on currency the Federal Bureau of Engraving and Printing states:

The use of the national motto on both U.S. coins and currency notes is required by two statutes, 31 U.S.C. 5112(d) (1) and 5114(b), respectively. The motto was not adopted for use on U.S. paper currency until 1957. It first appeared on some 1935G Series $1 Silver Certificates, but didn't appear on U.S. Federal Reserve Notes until the Series 1963 currency.

In the 1950s Congress changed the national motto from "E Pluribus Unum" to "In God We Trust" (which is how "In God We Trust" became required to be printed of federal money), "So help me God" was added to federal oaths (despite the fact that the Christian Bible clearly states not to swear by God or any other person, place, or thing when taking an oath. Matthew 5:33-37, James 5:12), and "under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance.