of the eagle and in the 19 clouds of the crest. The eagle's feathers are more pointed, and its talons have shorter joints. Zeitler also corrected two heraldic errors which had been called to the Department's attention. But it takes close inspection to see any of these changes.
The Zeitler die of the Great Seal was first used on January 27, 1904, and remained in use for 26 years. In 1986, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing made a master die from which the present die and counter-die were pro- duced. Future dies and counter-dies will be cut from this master die.
Uses of the Seal and the Coat of Arms
The Great Seal is used to seal documents 2,000-3,000 times a year.cAlthough custody of the first seal had been assigned to the Secretary of the Continental Congress Charles Thomson in 1782, the 1789 government assigned it to the Secretary of State. Mr. Thomson hand-carried the seal and press to President Washington; delivered his resignation with genuine regret; and surrendered the books, papers, and records of the late Congress. Thomas Jefferson thus became the first of a long line of Secretaries of State to have custody of the Great Seal.
The actual sealing is done by an officer from the Department's Presidential Appointments staff. At present it is impressed on the following types of documents, after they have been signed by the President and countersigned by the Secretary of State:
- Instruments of ratification of treaties and other international agreements;
- Proclamations of treaties and other international instruments;
- Appointment commissions of ambassadors, Foreign Service officers, Cabinet officers, and all other civil officers appointed by the President whose commissions are not required by law to issue under another seal; and
- Assignment commissions for consular officers.
The seal also is affixed to the envelopes that contain letters accrediting and recalling ambassadors and other ceremonial communications from the President to heads of foreign governments.
The design of the obverse of the Great Seal, which is the coat of arms of the United States, is used by the government in many ways. It appears in some form on coins, postage stamps, stationery, publications, flags, military uniforms, public monuments, public buildings, passports, and other
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