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Numismatics Exonumia Scripophily Museum (NESM)

Birmingham, United Kingdom

Web: www.nes-museum.org.uk

NESM Launches Special Independence Day Exhibition and Podcast Examining the Legacy of 'E Pluribus Unum' through Immigrant History

BIRMINGHAM, UK — July 4, 2026 — The Numismatics Exonumia Scripophily Museum (NESM) today officially opened its highly anticipated commemorative exhibition, E Pluribus Unum, timed to coincide with the global celebrations of the United States' Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence).

The exhibition utilizes the museum's extensive archival collections to explore the evolution of the iconic Latin motto "E pluribus unum" ("Out of many, one"). Originally selected in 1776 by the founding committee of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams alongside design consultant Pierre Eugene Du Simitière, the phrase originally signified the political union of the thirteen separate colonies. Over the past two and a half centuries, the motto has culturally evolved to represent the American "melting pot"—a shared society built by immigrants of diverse backgrounds, races, and faiths.

Exhibition Highlights Include:

The B'nai B'rith Declaration: A premium, calligraphic faux-parchment reproduction of Timothy Matlack’s 1776 text, uniquely stamped with a 19th-century Jewish communal seal, illustrating how immigrant groups actively asserted their civic belonging.

Numismatic Displays: An extensive collection tracking the motto across historical American currency, from early circulating coinage to its placement in the beak of the bald eagle on the Great Seal featured on the one-dollar bill.

The "Melting Pot" Archives: Historical texts featuring the landmark 1782 essays of French-American writer J. Hector St. John de Crèvecœur (Letters from an American Farmer), exploring the foundational concept of the "New American."

Accompanying the physical facility launch is a new special feature episode of the NESM Podcast. The episode addresses the museum-world challenge of "archival captivity"—the reality where original papers, such as George Washington's 1790 letter to the Newport Hebrew Congregation, must be locked away in climate-controlled darkness to prevent disintegration. The podcast illuminates how high-fidelity facsimiles in classrooms, public halls, and homes serve as vital, tangible shields that keep democratic ideals visible and protected from historical distortion.

"Our exhibition demonstrates that the ideals of 1776 are not static, fragile concepts meant to be locked away from the public," said the Planning Directorate at NESM. "By looking at how Jewish immigrant communities claimed the Declaration as a shield against 20th-century totalitarianism, we see the true power of E pluribus unum. True democracy requires active, physical reminders on the counter of daily life."

The E Pluribus Unum gallery space and the accompanying digital media are now open to the general public. For museum hours, ticketing information, and podcast streaming details, please visit the official website at www.nes-museum.org.uk/nesm-jul-2026-story/.

About the Museum

The Numismatics Exonumia Scripophily Museum (NESM) is a premier cultural institution dedicated to preserving and exploring the global heritage of banking, currency, medals, and historic financial instruments. Through innovative storytelling and public education, NESM connects the physical artifacts of economic history to the broader human struggles for liberty, identity, and rights.