Seal of New York

The great seal of New York features the state's coat of arms  (adopted in 1778) surrounded by the words "The Great Seal of the State of New York" (the state flag also features New York's coat of arms). All State Seals

The center shield displays a masted ship and a sloop on the Hudson River river (symbols of inland and foreign commerce), bordered by a grassy shore and a mountain range in the background with the sun rising behind it. A banner below the shield shows the New York state motto: "Excelsior" (Latin for "ever upward").

Liberty and Justice support the shield and an American eagle spreads its wings above on a world globe. Liberty's left foot treads on a crown (a symbol of freedom from the Kingdom of Great Britain). Justice is blindfolded and holds a sword in one hand and a scale in the other, symbolizing impartiality and fairness.