Money Tattoos
The image of money, bills and coins, is an obvious symbol of the priority to earn and gain profits. The symbol of currency depicts a metaphorical or literal ambition towards wealth, financial or otherwise. Money is an immediate, although trivial, sign of success within modern society.
Money, or “riches”, can be a metaphor for wealth in the sense of happiness and loved ones. The image of bills in this way can serve as an analogy for cherished people or ideas in the individual’s life. Often, however, the rendering of bills or “stacks” of rolled bills is simply a symbol of business savvy, or the ability to earn financially.
The image of currency, most often bills, is manipulated to portray various ideas about money. Mocking faces, or a joker’s face, are sometimes added to convey the dangers of greed and money. The image of money serves as a warning in this way, cautioning against becoming too interested in financial gain.
The image of a bill, often an American hundred-dollar bill, folded into a rose is a modern symbol of love over money. The symbol shows the functionality of the dollar bill disregarded in order to create a more beautiful, natural image. It is a depiction of the modern, money-hungry world defeated by more traditional values of love and family.
Images taken from the American dollar bill have also become popular tattoos, images like the pyramid, the all-seeing eye, images of the presidents depicted and other iconography. These symbols are taken and often manipulated to convey derision for the banking system that controls the world.
These symbols are sometimes used in conjunction with colloquialisms such as “On My Mind”, using the images on dollar bills to convey “Money”, indicating that one’s mind is occupied with gain and profit. “Time is Money” is another phrase often portrayed with symbols of currency, conveying a similar message of a priority to earn money.
“Money Makes the World Go ‘Round” is yet another phrase that places the value of dollars and sense above all else, although in some cases it can be rendered ironically.