New York State Emblems

Three emblems that represent New York State are the Device of Arms (commonly referred to as the coat of arms), the Great Seal and the State Flag. All three emblems incorporate the image of the Coat of Arms.

The arms of New York State were officially adopted in 1778. The center shows a ship and sloop on a river bordered by a grassy shore and a mountain range with the sun rising behind it. Liberty and Justice stand on either side, under an American eagle.

Liberty holds a staff topped with a Phrygian cap, symbolic of the cap given to a Roman slave upon the formal act of emancipation and freedom. This cap was adopted by French revolutionists as a symbol of liberty, especially in the U.S. before 1800. The figure of Justice is blindfolded and carries a sword in one hand and scales in the other. These symbols represent the impartiality and fairness required for the assignment of a merited reward or punishment. The banner shows the State motto--Excelsior--which means "Ever Upward," and E pluribus unum—which means "Out of many one." E pluribus unum was added as part of FY 2021 Enacted Budget.

The arms of New York State were officially adopted in 1778. The center shows a ship and sloop on a river bordered by a grassy shore and a mountain range with the sun rising behind it. Liberty and Justice stand on either side, under an American eagle.

Liberty holds a staff topped with a Phrygian cap, symbolic of the cap given to a Roman slave upon the formal act of emancipation and freedom. This cap was adopted by French revolutionists as a symbol of liberty, especially in the U.S. before 1800.

The figure of Justice is blindfolded and carries a sword in one hand and scales in the other.

These symbols represent the impartiality and fairness required for the assignment of a merited reward or punishment. The banner shows the State motto--Excelsior--which means "Ever Upward" and E pluribus unum—which means "Out of many one." E pluribus unum was added as part of FY 2021 Enacted Budget.

The following description of the Coat of Arms is provided for those who may be unfamiliar with heraldic terms:

Shield: A blue, unclouded sky with the golden sun and its rays centered behind a range of three mountains, the middle one the highest; below, a ship and sloop under sail, facing each other and about to meet on a river, bordered by a grassy shore fringed with shrubs, all in natural colors.

Crest: (above the shield) On a wreath of blue and gold, an American eagle in its natural colors, facing toward the right (considered a good omen) above a two-thirds global drawing of Earth, showing the north Atlantic Ocean with outlines of its shores.

Supporters: (the two figures on the outside of the shield) appear to be joined with the shield as a unit formed by the extension of the scroll.

Dexter: (To the left of the viewer's eye) The figure of Liberty in natural colors, her unbound hair decorated with pearls. She is clothed in blue with red sandals, a loose robe of red hanging down from her shoulders to her feet. In her right hand, she holds a staff topped with a gold Phrygian cap; her left arm is bent at the elbow, the hand supporting the shield at its top right. A royal crown lies at her left foot, thrown down to illustrate the lessening of power of the English monarchy.

Sinister: (To the right of the viewer's eye) The figure of Justice in natural colors, her unbound hair decorated with pearls. She is clothed in gold with a blue belt fringed in red, wearing sandals and a robe as Liberty and bound about the eyes with a narrow band of cloth. In her right hand she holds a gold handled sword, held erect, and resting on the top left point of the shield; left arm is also bent at the elbow, holding scales in front of her.

Motto: On a silver scroll below the shield, in black type, the word "Excelsior" (Ever Upward).

(Loosely extracted from State Law, Article 6)

*The Great Seal is provided here for educational purposes only. State law restricts reproduction of the Great Seal for other purposes. It may not be reproduced without the express permission of the Department of State. Its use is prescribed by statute and is limited to specific purposes.

Since the Revolution and the organization of New York as a state, the appointment by the Legislature of various commissions to prepare devices for the Great Seal of the state has resulted in five modifications:

The Great Seal of 1777 was devised by a committee consisting of Messrs. Morris, Jay and Hobart, and was to be used for all the purposes for which the Crown Seal was used under the Colony.

The second form was the Arms and Seal complete, devised by Governor George Clinton and Chancellor Livingston in 1778.

The third Seal was devised pursuant to an act passed in 1798, authorizing the Comptroller, Attorney General and Surveyor General to repair the old Seal or cause a new one to be made. The commission decided to make a new one and recorded a description of it on January 22, 1799.

In 1809 the Legislature passed an act authorizing the Governor to prepare what became the fourth Great Seal; first used on November 28, 1809.

The fifth and last form given to the Coat of Arms on the seal of the state was in 1882, following a report by a commission consisting of Governor Alonzo B. Cornell, Secretary of State Joseph B. Carr and State Comptroller James W. Wadsworth.

The Great Seal is in the custody of the Secretary of State (Section 73, State L). All matters issued under the Great Seal since March 16, 1778, continue to be issued under the seal, except for documents certified by the secretary under the Department of State seal. The Coat of Arms is the pictorial device to be used on official letterhead and public documents printed and circulated under the authority of the state (Section 72, State L). The Secretary may furnish an impression, replica or print of the Great Seal for use as a collector's item, for use in preparing a collector's item or for educational purposes (Section 74, State L).