The world's first voluntary currency made of physical gold, the Utah Goldback, is a beautifully made currency that contains 1/200th oz of .9999 fine gold. When the Utah Legal Tender Act passed in 2011, Utah became the first state in recent times to recognize certain forms of gold as legal tender. This act re-established gold's level of official recognition as money. Since then, cutting-edge vacuum deposition technology has been used to mint physical gold into a spendable form for small transactions, creating the Utah Goldback Series.
Cheri Jensen, a local Utah artist, drew the Utah Goldback Series, which tells the story of Utah's history chronologically. It highlights specific pivotal moments in Utah's history before the Mormon pioneers' settlement, through the area's settlement, and some historic moments pertaining thereto. The progression culminates in an idyllic future representation of reaching a type of transcendence toward which we are encouraged to aspire by applying the virtues featured in the series.
Each denomination of the Utah Goldback Series shows a backdrop for the Lady Virtue being portrayed and symbolized thereon. The 5 Goldback Bill, for instance, features a beautiful image of Veritas, the Virtue Truth. She is depicted as a Utah pioneer, nodding to the great migration that brought the first settlers of Utah to Salt Lake Valley in 1847. With windblown hair, she holds a lantern high with her right hand, casting light out at the viewer to represent the light of the truth that she bears.
The pocket of Veritas's apron holds a compass, representing making truth our moral compass, and you can see that it is actually pointing West, again, nodding to the western migration of the Utah settlers. In her left hand, she holds two books representing written truth. In this version, the books bear the titles “Judah” (for the Bible) and “Joseph” (for the Book of Mormon), referring to the role the two books of scripture had in providing direction as accepted truths for the Utah Pioneers. Their faith in God and his word in these books eventually drove them to seek religious freedom in Utah.
Veritas is standing near a pool, and a waterfall feeds into it in the background. These represent how we need truth just as much as we need fresh water. A deer, representing a messenger of truth, stands at the base of a massive cottonwood tree and drinks from the truth pool. The Roman symbol of the fish associated with truth is also depicted in the stream that is flowing from the pool.
An eagle flies in the dusky sky above Veritas, watching over truth and nodding to how the freedoms promised in the United States allow truth to flourish. The North Star can shine proudly in the cloudy sky, symbolizing how truth is always shining, even if obscured by proverbial clouds. Finally, Veritas is depicted barefoot in this design, referencing how sometimes following truth leads us to walk hard roads, but the difficulty level doesn't change the reality of the truth that we follow and often makes our arrival at the destination that truth leads us to all the sweeter.
Goldbacks can be, and are, used for barter transactions with anyone who recognizes the value of gold. The Utah Goldback is a valuable currency and a work of art that tells a story of Utah's history and the importance of truth. It encourages people to aspire towards a higher level of virtue and recognize the importance of honesty and integrity. The Utah Goldback is an excellent investment opportunity and a reminder of the values essential to living a fulfilling life.