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| Great Seal of the State of West Virginia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Versions | |
.png) Reverse | |
.jpg) Historical coat of arms (illustrated, 1876) | |
| Armiger | State of West Virginia |
| Adopted | 1863 |
| Motto | Montani Semper Liberi Libertas E Fidelitate |
The Great Seal of the State of West Virginia was adopted in September 1863.[1] The obverse center of the seal contains a boulder that has been inscribed June 20, 1863, the date West Virginia became a state. In front of the boulder lie two crossed rifles and a liberty cap as a symbol of the state's fight for liberty. The two men on either side of the boulder represent agriculture and industry. On the left stands a farmer with an ax and plow before a cornstalk. On the other side stands a miner with a pickaxe, and behind him an anvil and sledge hammer. The outer ring contains the text "State of West Virginia" and the state's motto "Montani Semper Liberi", ("Mountaineers are Always Free"; the state nickname is "the Mountain State"). The reverse of the seal, also called the lesser seal, is the official seal of the governor. Its motto reads "Libertas E Fidelitate" ("Liberty out of Fidelity").[2]
- ^ "West Virginia Statistical Information" (PDF). State of West Virginia. Retrieved 2014-06-20.
- ^ "West Virginia State Seal". www.sos.wv.gov. Archived from the original on 2009-10-01.