Seal of Tennessee

The Great Seal of Tennessee is the official government emblem of the U.S. state of Tennessee.

Design

At the top of the Great Seal appear the Roman numerals XVI, signifying Tennessee’s position as the 16th state to join the United States. In the original design, the phrases "The Great Seal of the State of Tennessee" and "Feb. 6th, 1796" surrounded the central imagery; the month and day were removed in 1929. The original version, completed in 1802, remained in use until 1929.