369:
337:, white, and proper respectively. Obviously, the surrounding legends on the seals are different as well. The official line drawings are likewise virtually identical; the most noticeable difference is that the center tail feather is slightly shorter in the vice presidential version, which was perhaps inadvertent. The primary differences are seen in color prints; the background of the vice presidential seal is white where the presidential seal uses dark blue, and the chief (top third) of the shield is typically dark blue in the vice presidential seal whereas the presidential seal uses light blue. Because the vice presidential coat of arms does not have a ring of stars around it, the other elements are made relatively larger to fill the space, so when placed side-by-side the eagle on the vice presidential seal is noticeably larger than its presidential counterpart.
577:
talon holds an olive branch, though with fewer leaves and berries than the depiction used in the 1945 presidential seal, and the left talon holds a single arrow (rather than the 13 specified in both the presidential and Great Seals). While the 1945 presidential seal added a ring of 48 stars around the eagle (representing the states), a ring of 13 stars (representing the original 13 colonies) was added to the 1948 vice presidential seal. The design has some resemblance to the one known 1850 seal, but there is no evidence that the 1948 designer had any knowledge of the earlier version. The actual drawings for the executive order were prepared by Miss
Elizabeth Will, of the Heraldic Branch, Office of the Quartermaster General, Department of the Army.
521:
55:
41:
562:
621:
463:
537:
design being too indistinguishable from the president's version, in August 1945 Truman asked the
Heraldic Branch of the Office of the Quartermaster General of the Army to "prepare several sketches" for a new vice presidential flag. However, since the vice presidency was vacant at the time, there was no need for an immediate change.
661:) as well as the actual drawings were essentially identical to the presidential coat of arms, except for some differences in the colors. The official drawings and paintings were made by illustrators in the Design and Illustration Division of the Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army, under the supervision of Charles A. Reynolds.
536:
were redesigned in 1945, and since the vice president's flag at the time was a reversed-color variation of the presidential flag, it was noted that the vice presidential seal and flag should also be redesigned. Since applying the previous reversed-color concept to the seal as well would result in the
453:
The early history of the vice president's seal remains obscure, as seal historians have largely ignored it, and there is virtually no information on early usage. Similar to the presidential seal, the primary usage appears to have been to seal the envelopes for correspondence from the vice president,
584:
until 1952, and a replacement was made in 1969. Similar to the situation with the president's seal, there were several seal dies. The official die is brass and attached to a handle, and used by the vice president's office to affix wax impressions to correspondence and official documents. The Bureau
576:
The design was still a variation on the U.S. coat of arms and therefore the presidential seal, but was made to be distinctly different. While the shield is the same, the eagle's wings are more outstretched, with the wing tips pointing slightly down ("inverted", in heraldic terms). The eagle's right
221:
There are virtually no records on early vice presidential seals, but there were versions in use as early as 1846 and almost certainly earlier as well. There was no official definition of a vice presidential seal until 1948, and today's version dates from 1975 when it was redesigned under
664:
The Bureau of
Engraving and Printing completed the actual seal dies in July 1976. There were two seal dies made with counterdies and hand presses in order to affix wax impressions to official documents; one in the vice president's office and one in the Senate. These were
778:. Department and Foreign Service series ; 161 Department of State publication ; 8900. Washington : Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, Dept. of State : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off. p. 467.
474:, William Hickey, to a Maryland seal engraver named Edward Stabler (who had made many seals for the government, and would make one for the president a few years later). The letter also indicates that the vice presidential seal was not new at the time.
329:, except that there is no surrounding ring of stars, and four elements—the clouds and stars above the eagles head, the scroll, and the arrows—are specifically colored gray to differentiate them; in the president's seal these are "
405:
Other versions of the seal are often used as a visual symbol to represent the vice president, and are most often seen on lecterns when they make a speech, and on the sides of presidential transports such as
344:
as defined in 1782, though with a different arrangement of the stars, clouds, and glory than is typically seen in modern versions of the Great Seal. Likewise, the symbolism follows that of the Great Seal:
380:
Strictly speaking, the brass die in the vice president's office is the only actual seal of the vice president, and it is used to mark official documents and correspondence with wax impressions. It is
368:
721:
640:) said in public it was "aesthetically very weak" and in private complained to friends it looked like a "wounded quail" (or in some versions of the story a "wounded partridge").
702:
Rockefeller was pleased with the result; he wrote Ford a thank you note which mentioned "as you know, art and aesthetics are my weakness". The seal has not been changed since.
544:
was prepared to prescribe the new seal and flag for the office. It was suggested to delay the order until after the election, so accordingly
President Truman issued
711:
419:
1131:
1111:
753:
657:
The new design was a much fuller eagle, with thirteen arrows and a full olive branch. The ring of stars was removed, but otherwise the written description (
716:
533:
529:
326:
207:
644:
317:
The Seal of the Vice
President of the United States shall consist of the Coat of Arms encircled by the words "Vice President of the United States."
402:
has several other dies used to imprint the seal, or coat of arms, on stationery, invitations, and the like as requested by the vice president.
340:
In turn, the written designs of both the presidential and vice presidential coats of arms are also essentially the same as the obverse of the
1070:
477:
Only one impression of an early vice presidential seal has been found, that on the envelope of a
January 26, 1850 letter from Vice President
520:
203:
74:
54:
192:
On documents from the vice president to members of government, and as a symbol on vice presidential vehicles, podiums, and other places
1093:
1018:
999:
982:
968:
954:
939:
925:
910:
895:
881:
826:
809:
773:
632:
would often remark that the relative importance of the vice president's office could be gauged by the "droopy eagle" on the seal, and
581:
570:
399:
901:. "The envelopes bearing the seals were presumably discarded upon their delivery to the Senate or the House of Representatives."
726:
541:
498:
490:
435:
415:
341:
211:
206:
to other members of government, and is also used as a symbol of the vice presidency. The central design, directly based on the
841:
561:
750:"Executive Order 11884--Prescribing the official coat of arms, seal, and flag of the Vice President of the United States"
303:
95:
40:
497:(its own right). In its right talon is an olive branch, and its left holds six arrows (just like the incorrectly drawn
605:
inches (1.6 to 4.4 cm) used to imprint invitations, stationery, and the like as requested by the vice president.
486:
470:
The earliest known reference to a vice presidential seal was in a
November 6, 1846 letter from the chief clerk of the
454:
and the envelopes were presumably discarded even if the correspondence was kept, so there is little record remaining.
493:; it shows an eagle with wings "displayed and inverted" (i.e., wing tips pointing down), with its head turned toward
749:
620:
647:
to come up with a new design. After several months of work, where about twenty models were rejected, Ford issued
17:
353:, unified under and supporting the chief. The motto (meaning "Out of many, one") alludes to the same concept.
1126:
679:
inches (4.4 cm) in diameter. The Bureau also made seven smaller stamping dies, ranging in size from
481:
to the
Chairman of the Senate Committee of Post Offices and Post Roads concerning the nomination of a
471:
699:
inches (0.95 to 1.91 cm), used to imprint facsimiles on invitations, stationery, and the like.
501:). The shield has the usual blue chief and thirteen white and red stripes. At the top is the legend
651:
548:
494:
442:
438:
330:
288:
284:
277:
235:
161:
157:
150:
1080:
916:. "And the envelopes, for the most part, were not preserved even when the messages have survived."
868:
633:
555:
431:
1040:
612:
was inaugurated as Vice
President on January 20, 1949, and remained in use for nearly 27 years.
462:
787:
779:
551:
on
November 10, 1948, which officially defined the vice presidential seal for the first time (
350:
273:
246:
The Coat of Arms of the Vice President of the United States shall be of the following design:
146:
110:
654:
on October 29, 1975, which redefined the coat of arms, seal, and flag of the vice president.
1048:
609:
566:
478:
296:
266:
263:
170:
130:
127:
89:
489:(which is 0.835 in or 2.12 cm). The central design is basically a version of the
648:
629:
552:
545:
310:
292:
251:
182:
166:
115:
102:
854:
There is a photo of a student posing next to the Vice President's seal on the helicopter.
643:
Rockefeller set out to get the seal changed. With Ford's permission, he asked the Army's
356:
The arc of thirteen clouds, and the thirteen stars, also refer to the original 13 states.
414:, and limousines. The coat of arms, without the surrounding inscription, is used on the
309:, on which appears an arc of thirteen cloud puffs gray, and a constellation of thirteen
101:, on which appears an arc of thirteen cloud puffs gray, and a constellation of thirteen
1112:
U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry's Vice President of the United States Information Sheet
945:. The reference for the letter is given as Senate Doc. 164, 82d Cong., 2d sess, p. 32.
1120:
1075:
407:
373:
306:
98:
512:
No other impression of a vice presidential seal is known prior to the 1948 version.
281:
215:
154:
864:
849:
445:, the same statutes which protect the seal of the president of the United States.
745:
637:
239:
223:
482:
411:
270:
143:
865:"18 USC §713. Use of likenesses of the great seal of the United States,. ..."
628:
Some of the subsequent vice presidents disliked the design of the 1948 seal.
565:
Vice President Alben Barkley showing the seal to Prime Minister of Pakistan
395:
218:
of the U.S. vice presidency and also appears on the vice presidential flag.
137:
791:
291:
a bundle of thirteen arrows gray, and in his beak a gray scroll inscribed "
775:
The Eagle and the Shield: A History of the Great Seal of the United States
430:
In general, commercial use of the seal is prohibited by 18 USC 713 of the
164:
a bundle of thirteen arrows gray, and in his beak a gray scroll inscribed
540:
In 1948, a new vice president would be elected, and during the fall an
69:
585:
of Engraving and Printing had several steel dies ranging in size from
658:
334:
322:
255:
119:
394: in (4.4 cm) in diameter. Other versions are technically "
619:
560:
519:
461:
367:
259:
177:
123:
558:
of 1936 had defined a vice presidential flag, but not the seal).
845:
783:
359:
The olive branch and arrows denote the powers of peace and war.
1051:
772:
Patterson, Richard Sharpe; Dougall, Richardson (1978) .
376:
in 2021, with the vice presidential seal on the podium
722:
Seals of governors of the U.S. states and territories
580:The full set of seal dies was not completed by the
485:. The seal was of red wax, and about the size of a
188:
176:
136:
109:
88:
80:
68:
47:
31:
712:Flag of the vice president of the United States
244:
200:seal of the vice president of the United States
18:Seal of the Vice President of the United States
1041:"Rockefeller Redesigns Vice Presidential Seal"
302:CREST: Behind and above the eagle a radiating
8:
466:1850 impression of the vice president's seal
325:(written design) is exactly the same as the
1065:
1063:
1061:
822:
820:
717:Seal of the president of the United States
327:seal of the president of the United States
208:seal of the president of the United States
1014:
1012:
1010:
995:
993:
349:The stripes on the shield represent the
202:is used to mark correspondence from the
805:
803:
801:
767:
765:
763:
737:
94:Behind and above the eagle a radiating
1035:
1033:
1031:
1029:
624:Illustration from 1975 executive order
28:
608:This seal took practical effect when
7:
1132:Vice presidency of the United States
59:Former seal, used from 1948 to 1975.
75:Vice President of the United States
1079:. October 20, 1975. Archived from
842:"NASA Glenn Academy Photo Gallery"
25:
582:Bureau of Engraving and Printing
400:Bureau of Engraving and Printing
53:
39:
1054:. October 26, 1975. p. 19.
727:Great Seal of the United States
416:Vice Presidential Service Badge
342:Great Seal of the United States
242:on October 7, 1975. It states:
234:The current seal is defined in
212:Great Seal of the United States
1:
571:Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan
524:1948 vice presidential seal
1148:
32:Seal of the vice president
434:, and further defined by
64:
52:
38:
1095:The Eagle and the Shield
1020:The Eagle and the Shield
1001:The Eagle and the Shield
984:The Eagle and the Shield
970:The Eagle and the Shield
956:The Eagle and the Shield
941:The Eagle and the Shield
927:The Eagle and the Shield
912:The Eagle and the Shield
897:The Eagle and the Shield
883:The Eagle and the Shield
828:The Eagle and the Shield
811:The Eagle and the Shield
269:; upon the breast of an
210:(and indirectly on the
867:U.S. Code collection,
848:. 2007. Archived from
625:
573:
525:
467:
420:vice presidential flag
377:
319:
645:Institute of Heraldry
623:
564:
523:
505:, and the bottom has
491:national coat of arms
465:
371:
236:Executive Order 11884
1083:on January 22, 2011.
1071:"Heraldic Wing-Lift"
472:United States Senate
238:, made by President
230:Design and symbolism
34:of the United States
748:(October 7, 1975).
499:1841 Great Seal die
254:of thirteen pieces
214:), is the official
204:U.S. vice president
118:of thirteen pieces
1045:The Times Recorder
869:Cornell University
634:Nelson Rockefeller
626:
574:
526:
468:
432:United States Code
378:
351:13 original states
754:National Archives
530:presidential seal
508:
504:
196:
195:
169:
16:(Redirected from
1139:
1100:
1091:
1085:
1084:
1067:
1056:
1055:
1049:Washington, D.C.
1037:
1024:
1016:
1005:
997:
988:
980:
974:
966:
960:
952:
946:
937:
931:
923:
917:
908:
902:
893:
887:
879:
873:
872:
861:
855:
853:
838:
832:
824:
815:
807:
796:
795:
769:
758:
757:
742:
698:
697:
693:
688:
687:
683:
678:
677:
673:
670:
610:Alben W. Barkley
604:
603:
599:
594:
593:
589:
567:Liaquat Ali Khan
506:
502:
479:Millard Fillmore
436:Executive Orders
393:
392:
388:
385:
364:Uses of the seal
165:
57:
43:
29:
21:
1147:
1146:
1142:
1141:
1140:
1138:
1137:
1136:
1117:
1116:
1108:
1103:
1099:see footnote 12
1092:
1088:
1069:
1068:
1059:
1039:
1038:
1027:
1017:
1008:
998:
991:
981:
977:
967:
963:
953:
949:
938:
934:
924:
920:
909:
905:
894:
890:
880:
876:
863:
862:
858:
840:
839:
835:
825:
818:
808:
799:
771:
770:
761:
746:Ford, Gerald R.
744:
743:
739:
735:
708:
695:
691:
690:
685:
681:
680:
675:
671:
668:
666:
649:Executive Order
630:Hubert Humphrey
618:
601:
597:
596:
591:
587:
586:
553:Executive Order
546:Executive Order
542:executive order
518:
460:
451:
428:
390:
386:
383:
381:
372:Vice President
366:
293:E PLURIBUS UNUM
276:holding in his
232:
183:E pluribus unum
167:E PLURIBUS UNUM
149:holding in his
60:
33:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1145:
1143:
1135:
1134:
1129:
1127:National seals
1119:
1118:
1115:
1114:
1107:
1106:External links
1104:
1102:
1101:
1086:
1057:
1025:
1006:
989:
975:
961:
947:
932:
918:
903:
888:
874:
856:
852:on 2009-06-19.
833:
816:
797:
759:
736:
734:
731:
730:
729:
724:
719:
714:
707:
704:
636:(appointed by
617:
614:
569:and his wife,
517:
514:
503:VICE PRESIDENT
459:
456:
450:
447:
427:
424:
365:
362:
361:
360:
357:
354:
315:
314:
300:
271:American eagle
231:
228:
224:President Ford
194:
193:
190:
186:
185:
180:
174:
173:
144:American eagle
140:
134:
133:
113:
107:
106:
92:
86:
85:
82:
78:
77:
72:
66:
65:
62:
61:
58:
50:
49:
45:
44:
36:
35:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1144:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1113:
1110:
1109:
1105:
1098:
1096:
1090:
1087:
1082:
1078:
1077:
1076:Time Magazine
1072:
1066:
1064:
1062:
1058:
1053:
1050:
1046:
1042:
1036:
1034:
1032:
1030:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1015:
1013:
1011:
1007:
1004:
1002:
996:
994:
990:
987:
985:
979:
976:
973:
971:
965:
962:
959:
957:
951:
948:
944:
942:
936:
933:
930:
928:
922:
919:
915:
913:
907:
904:
900:
898:
892:
889:
886:
884:
878:
875:
870:
866:
860:
857:
851:
847:
843:
837:
834:
831:
829:
823:
821:
817:
814:
812:
806:
804:
802:
798:
793:
789:
785:
781:
777:
776:
768:
766:
764:
760:
755:
751:
747:
741:
738:
732:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
709:
705:
703:
700:
662:
660:
655:
653:
650:
646:
641:
639:
635:
631:
622:
615:
613:
611:
606:
583:
578:
572:
568:
563:
559:
557:
554:
550:
547:
543:
538:
535:
531:
522:
515:
513:
510:
507:UNITED STATES
500:
496:
492:
488:
484:
480:
475:
473:
464:
457:
455:
448:
446:
444:
440:
437:
433:
426:Regulated use
425:
423:
421:
417:
413:
409:
408:Air Force Two
403:
401:
397:
375:
374:Kamala Harris
370:
363:
358:
355:
352:
348:
347:
346:
343:
338:
336:
332:
328:
324:
318:
312:
308:
305:
301:
298:
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286:
283:
279:
275:
272:
268:
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257:
253:
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229:
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225:
219:
217:
213:
209:
205:
201:
191:
187:
184:
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179:
175:
172:
168:
163:
159:
156:
152:
148:
145:
141:
139:
135:
132:
129:
125:
121:
117:
114:
112:
108:
104:
100:
97:
93:
91:
87:
83:
79:
76:
73:
71:
67:
63:
56:
51:
46:
42:
37:
30:
27:
19:
1094:
1089:
1081:the original
1074:
1044:
1019:
1000:
986:, p. 461-462
983:
978:
969:
964:
958:, p. 458-460
955:
950:
940:
935:
926:
921:
911:
906:
896:
891:
882:
877:
859:
850:the original
836:
830:, p. 467-468
827:
810:
774:
740:
701:
663:
656:
642:
627:
607:
579:
575:
539:
527:
511:
476:
469:
452:
429:
404:
379:
339:
320:
316:
282:olive branch
245:
233:
220:
216:coat of arms
199:
197:
155:olive branch
26:
638:Gerald Ford
458:Early seals
287:and in his
240:Gerald Ford
160:and in his
1121:Categories
733:References
483:postmaster
412:Marine Two
396:facsimiles
138:Supporters
616:1975 seal
516:1948 seal
280:talon an
274:displayed
153:talon an
147:displayed
1097:, p. 465
1022:, p. 465
1003:, p. 462
972:, p. 460
943:, p. 458
929:, p. 409
914:, p. 563
899:, p. 422
885:, p. 458
813:, p. 464
784:78602518
706:See also
418:and the
289:sinister
252:Paleways
250:SHIELD:
162:sinister
116:Paleways
48:Versions
792:4268298
694:⁄
684:⁄
674:⁄
600:⁄
590:⁄
449:History
398:"; the
389:⁄
311:mullets
103:mullets
81:Adopted
70:Armiger
790:
782:
659:blazon
495:dexter
487:nickel
335:argent
331:proper
323:blazon
285:proper
278:dexter
256:argent
158:proper
151:dexter
120:argent
111:Shield
652:11884
595:to 1
549:10016
443:11649
439:11916
313:gray.
304:glory
297:sable
267:azure
264:chief
260:gules
178:Motto
171:sable
131:azure
128:chief
124:gules
96:glory
90:Crest
846:NASA
788:OCLC
780:LCCN
556:7285
534:flag
532:and
528:The
441:and
321:The
262:, a
258:and
198:The
126:, a
122:and
105:gray
84:1975
1052:UPI
689:to
333:",
189:Use
142:An
1123::
1073:.
1060:^
1047:.
1043:.
1028:^
1009:^
992:^
844:.
819:^
800:^
786:.
762:^
752:.
509:.
422:.
410:,
307:or
295:"
226:.
99:Or
871:.
794:.
756:.
696:4
692:3
686:8
682:3
676:4
672:3
669:+
667:1
602:4
598:3
592:8
588:5
391:4
387:3
384:+
382:1
299:.
20:)
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