Twenty-Five Idaho Goldback | Scientia (Knowledge)

Goldbacks are privately issued notes that function as a voluntary local currency, produced from a thin layer of 24-karat gold laminated within protective polyester film. Each note is intricately designed and includes a precise fractional amount of real gold, placing Goldbacks among the rare examples of modern currency containing spendable gold. Originally launched in Utah, the series has expanded into several other states, blending the enduring value of precious metals with the concept of everyday transactions. The newest addition is the Idaho Goldback, which introduces another denomination and continues the tradition of state-themed designs. Right now, 25 Idaho Goldback Gold Notes are available from our site. Note Highlights: Arrives in protective sleeves or bundles of four notes! Distinctive designs for the Idaho series! Artwork celebrates the allegory Scientia! Contains 1/50 troy oz of .9999 pure gold. For the design, the contributions of female scientists in developing electricity from nuclear power. Please note that Goldbacks are NOT US legal tender. UV enhancements and other advanced security features included. Each 25 Idaho Goldback Gold Note available here comes with 24-karat gold. Individual Goldbacks are packaged in protective sleeves, with multiples of four bundled together without sleeves using a black strap. Scientia, the classical allegory of knowledge and learning, is personified as a luminous, clear-eyed figure whose bearing conveys both the discipline required to pursue understanding and the illuminating power that true knowledge bestows. Rooted in the Latin scire (to know) she is often depicted holding a book, a torch, or an astrolabe, symbols of inquiry, enlightenment, and the careful measurement of the world. As a virtue, scientia was distinguished by ancient philosophers from mere information or clever opinion; it implied a rigorous, reasoned understanding of causes and principles, arrived at through observation, reflection, and intellectual honesty. In the design of the 25 Idaho Goldback Gold Note, a female scientist is shown working to develop the first power plant in US history to generate electricity using nuclear power. On December 20, 1951, the Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I) near Arco, Idaho, became the first nuclear reactor in the world to generate usable electricity, a landmark achievement in the history of science and energy. Among the teams of researchers and engineers who worked at EBR-I and the broader Idaho National Laboratory complex during those pioneering decades were women scientists who made vital, if often uncelebrated, contributions to nuclear research, reactor safety analysis, and radiochemistry.