Öland is a province of Sweden and, like many of Sweden's provinces, was granted a coat of arms in preparation for the funeral of Gustav Vasa in 1560. Confusion arose between Öland's arms with one deer and Åland's arms with two deer and nine roses, resulting in Öland bearing the wrong coat of arms from the 1880s until an audit in 1944.
During a heraldic revision in 1944, the office of the Swedish Herald of the Realm (Riksheraldikerämbetet) discovered that a mistake had been committed. It was then decided the Öland deer should have a collar, something which had sometimes occurred before and had been considered for Djurgården. So in 1944 the arms of Öland were reverted to the single golden red deer, which at this time was granted the distinction of a collar, marking it as the royal game. (In a blue field a walking deer of gold with red collar and red arms, when such shall come to use.)
The arms are displayed with a ducal coronet. The province was originally ranked as an earldom but following a decision by the Privy Council on January 18, 1884 gave all Provinces the right of use to a ducal coronet for their arms.
Related arms
Åland
thumb|right|100px|Coat of arms of Åland
Åland is today an autonomous province of Finland. The arms of Öland and Åland had been confused, leading Öland to adopt the arms intended for Åland, featuring two golden deer on a blue field strewn with nine white roses. Åland, meanwhile, retained the arms which had originally been granted to Öland in 1560 (a golden deer on a blue field). The arms of Åland are displayed with a comital coronet.
Blazon (in Swedish): "I blått fält en gående hjort av guld." ("Azure, a hart passant Or".)
Blazon (in Finnish): "Sinisessä kentässä on kävelevä kultainen saksanhirvi."
Kalmar County
thumb|right|100px|Coat of arms of Kalmar County
The Kalmar County includes the eastern part of Småland and the island province of Öland. The arms are a combination of the arms of Småland and Öland. The arms are displayed with a royal crown, representing the County Administrative Board.
Blazon (in Swedish): "Sköld kvadrerad av Smålands och Ölands vapen." ("Quartered, the arms of Småland and Öland.")
See also
- Swedish heraldry