| 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 |
TheGreat Seal of the State of West Virginia, designed byJoseph H. Diss Debar,[1] was adopted in September 1863.[2] The obverse center of the seal contains a boulder that has been inscribed June 20, 1863, the dateWest Virginia became a state. In front of the boulder lie two crossedrifles and aliberty cap as a symbol of the state's fight forliberty. The two men on either side of the boulder representagriculture andindustry. On the left stands a farmer with anax andplow before acornstalk. On the other side stands aminer with apickaxe, and behind him ananvil andsledge hammer. The outer ring contains the text "State of West Virginia" and the state's motto "Montani Semper Liberi", ("Mountaineers are Always Free"; the statenickname is "the Mountain State"). The reverse of the seal, also called the lesser seal, is the official seal of thegovernor. Its motto reads "Libertas E Fidelitate" ("Liberty out of Fidelity").[3]
The Latin phraseMontani Semper Liberi (English:"Mountaineers are Always Free") was adopted as the official statemotto of West Virginia in Article II, Section 2-7, ofthe state constitution signed in 1872. This article specifically states:"[t]he present seal of the state, with its motto, "Montani Semper Liberi," shall be the great seal of the state of West Virginia, and shall be kept by the secretary of state, to be used by him officially, as directed by law".[4] The phrase was suggested as the motto byJoseph H. Diss Debar, the artist who created the state's Great Seal.
Montani Semper Liberi is also part of thecoat of arms for theColombian city ofBucaramanga.
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