Don't Tread On Me Sterling Silver Money Clip

This is a Great Republic exclusive -- a beautifully handcrafted sterling silver money clip featuring an early American 13-star flag overlaid with a raised silver Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. (Limited & Numbered Edition of 100)

The rattlesnake has been a popular symbol in America's history, all the way back to the start of the American Revolution. It stands for the unity and ferocity of the American people. We will defend our rights, and we will stand up for what we believe in. Don't Tread On Me!

In 1754, Benjamin Franklin created the first incarnation of the famous snake that would eventually tell Britain, Don't Tread On Me! Franklin published the first known political cartoon in an American newspaper. The image was of a snake that had been cut into eight sections. Each section represented one of the American colonies. The message behind the cartoon was “Join, or Die”. This was originally a plea for unity amongst the colonies in defending them during the French and Indian War.

The same symbol came back into focus ten years later when America was uniting against the British Empire and the increase in taxes. The Don't Tread On Me snake stood for the independence the colonists were seeking from England. Eventually, as America began to draw up arms, that famous snake first appeared with the words Don't Tread On Me on a flag given to the Navy by Colonel Christopher Gadsden.

Handcrafted in California, USA