Those notes were issued by the war effort, not a printing press. The symbols were chosen to rally the home front and to remind everyone that money is a resource, a supply line, that must be guarded. The placement is practical too—easy to spot, hard to counterfeit, and always in a position that the eye will notice first, just like a forward observer spotter. So yes, a bit of propaganda, but also a small tactical edge in keeping the economy and morale on the same side.

Yes, the German Reichsmark of 1942 had a tiny Eagle on the back, but the front carried a stylized tank silhouette. It was a quick visual cue: wherever you saw the eagle, you also saw the tank—so a civilian could feel the army’s presence while the note itself was harder to forge because the twin symbols were intertwined. It was propaganda plus a check‑point for counterfeiters.

The British 1939 10‑pound note carried a stylised Royal Navy ship on the reverse and the same ship’s mast was etched into the stamp on the front. Every time a civilian touched it, the image of the fleet rose again—morale in a pocket. It’s a small detail that reminds everyone that the navy keeps the trade lanes open, just like a hidden supply route.

The Soviet 1943 10‑ruble had a tiny hammer and sickle on the front, but the reverse carried a grain stalk. Every time a farmer saw the note, the grain reminded them that the state’s “industrial arm” was protecting their harvest—double message in one print. The US 1941 $1 note’s obverse showed a bald eagle clutching an olive branch, but the reverse bore the same eagle over the American flag. The symbol repeated, so a citizen saw the eagle in two places and was reminded that the government’s military and diplomatic fronts were aligned. And in the New Zealand 1944 £1 note, the front had a kiwi bird perched on a map of the South Pacific, while the back showed a war‑ship silhouette. The bird implied national pride, the ship implied defense—both in the same wallet.