Gauntlet Gallery — D*Face Print Index
In Dog We Trust
Summary
In Dog We Trust is a 2016 hand-finished work by D*Face, published by APPortfolio in an edition of 75. It is executed as offset print with pen-and-ink hand additions on a real US five-dollar bill and accompanied by a COA. Using genuine currency as the substrate makes each of the 75 pieces a distinctive object.
Why It Matters
Printing on an authentic five-dollar bill is a pointed act, turning legal tender into a canvas and directly satirising the American motto In God We Trust. The hand pen-and-ink additions individualise each of the 75 examples, and the accompanying COA supports authentication for a work made on an unconventional substrate.
Collector Perspective
The real-currency substrate and edition of 75 make this a conceptually loaded, collectible object distinct from paper prints. The hand-applied pen and ink ensures individual variation, and the COA is essential given the unusual medium. Collectors should keep the certificate with the piece to preserve provenance.
Historical Context
Defacing or reworking currency is a long-standing gesture in political street art, and In Dog We Trust joins that tradition by rewriting the US national motto through D*Face's canine pop lens. Published by APPortfolio in 2016, it reflects his interest in money, faith and consumer belief as intertwined subjects.
FAQ
What is the substrate?
Each piece is made on a real US five-dollar bill with offset print and pen-and-ink additions.
How many were made?
The edition is 75, each accompanied by a COA.
What does the title reference?
It puns on the US motto In God We Trust, replacing God with Dog.
Who published it?
APPortfolio published the work in 2016.
About the Artist
D*Face is the working name of Dean Stockton (born 1978, London), a British street artist and a leading figure in the UK urban-contemporary scene. Drawing on comic books, pop art, skate graphics, and consumer iconography, he developed a signature cast of characters — winged "D*Dog" motifs, skull-faced pin-ups, and subverted Americana — rendered in bold, Lichtenstein-indebted lines. From stickers and street work in the early 2000s, he built a substantial studio practice of paintings, sculpture, and signed prints, founded the StolenSpace Gallery in London, and has collaborated widely across music and fashion.
Collecting D*Face at Gauntlet Gallery
Which D*Face works should I collect?
His signed, numbered screenprints — especially hand-finished and low-edition works — are the collectible core, prized for bold pop imagery. Look for clean condition and the artist's signature. Gauntlet Gallery prioritizes complete, well-documented impressions.
How is a D*Face piece authenticated?
We sell his works with documented provenance and the edition's signature and numbering. Each piece is photographed as-is, including signature and edition details, so you can verify before purchase.
What drives value?
Edition size, hand-embellishment, iconic imagery, condition, and provenance all shape value. Low-numbered, hand-finished, and larger works command the strongest premiums.