{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/1-500.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/1-500.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/1-500.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/1-500.html"}],"law_id":57753,"edition_id":1,"section_id":57753,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-500","catch_line":"The great seal","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 7-26; 1966, c. 102, \u00a7 7.1-26; 2005, c. 839.","full_text":"The great seal of the Commonwealth shall consist of two metallic discs, two and one-fourth inches in diameter, with an ornamental border one fourth of an inch wide, with such words and figures engraved as follows: On the obverse, Virtus, the genius of the Commonwealth, dressed as an Amazon, resting on a spear in her right hand, point downward, touching the earth; and holding in her left hand, a sheathed sword, or parazonium, pointing upward; her head erect and face upturned; her left foot on the form of Tyranny represented by the prostrate body of a man, with his head to her left, his fallen crown nearby, a broken chain in his left hand, and a scourge in his right. Above the group and within the border conforming therewith, shall be the word “Virginia,” and, in the space below, on a curved line, shall be the motto, “Sic Semper Tyrannis.” On the reverse, shall be placed a group consisting of Libertas, holding a wand and pileus in her right hand; on her right, Aeternitas, with a globe and phoenix in her right hand; on the left of Libertas, Ceres, with a cornucopia in her left hand, and an ear of wheat in her right; over this device, in a curved line, the word “Perseverando.”","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":211519,"text":"The great seal of the Commonwealth shall consist of two metallic discs, two and one-fourth inches in diameter, with an ornamental border one fourth of an inch wide, with such words and figures engraved as follows: On the obverse, Virtus, the genius of the Commonwealth, dressed as an Amazon, resting on a spear in her right hand, point downward, touching the earth; and holding in her left hand, a sheathed sword, or parazonium, pointing upward; her head erect and face upturned; her left foot on the form of Tyranny represented by the prostrate body of a man, with his head to her left, his fallen crown nearby, a broken chain in his left hand, and a scourge in his right. Above the group and within the border conforming therewith, shall be the word “Virginia,” and, in the space below, on a curved line, shall be the motto, “Sic Semper Tyrannis.” On the reverse, shall be placed a group consisting of Libertas, holding a wand and pileus in her right hand; on her right, Aeternitas, with a globe and phoenix in her right hand; on the left of Libertas, Ceres, with a cornucopia in her left hand, and an ear of wheat in her right; over this device, in a curved line, the word “Perseverando.”","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14575,"edition_id":1,"name":"Symbols of Sovereignty","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14574,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:43","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:43","permalink":{"id":143211,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14575,"identifier":"1","token":"1\/5\/1","url":"\/1\/5\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14574,"edition_id":1,"name":"Emblems","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13464,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:43","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:43","permalink":{"id":143209,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14574,"identifier":"5","token":"1\/5","url":"\/1\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13464,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:57","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:57","permalink":{"id":142799,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13464,"identifier":"1","token":"1","url":"\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":57753,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-500","catch_line":"The great seal","url":"\/1-500\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-500","metadata":false},{"id":85027,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-501","catch_line":"The lesser seal","url":"\/1-501\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-501","metadata":false},{"id":84757,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-502","catch_line":"Custody; impressions displayed in The Library of Virginia","url":"\/1-502\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-502","metadata":false},{"id":57382,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-503","catch_line":"Uses and tax on great seal","url":"\/1-503\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-503","metadata":false},{"id":85888,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-504","catch_line":"Uses and tax on lesser seal","url":"\/1-504\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-504","metadata":false},{"id":75232,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-505","catch_line":"Seals deemed property of Commonwealth; unauthorized use; penalty","url":"\/1-505\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-505","metadata":false},{"id":69436,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-506","catch_line":"Flag of the Commonwealth","url":"\/1-506\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-506","metadata":false},{"id":56056,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-507","catch_line":"Governor to prescribe size of flag","url":"\/1-507\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-507","metadata":false},{"id":74178,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-508","catch_line":"Director of General Services to have available flags of the Commonwealth for sale","url":"\/1-508\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-508","metadata":false},{"id":84812,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-509","catch_line":"When flag to be suspended over Capitol","url":"\/1-509\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-509","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":85027,"structure_id":14575,"section_number":"1-501","catch_line":"The lesser seal","url":"\/1-501\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-501","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/1-500\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1966, chapter 102; in 2005, chapter 839<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":84757,"section_number":"1-502","catch_line":"Custody; impressions displayed in The Library of Virginia","order_by":null,"url":"\/1-502\/"},{"id":69436,"section_number":"1-506","catch_line":"Flag of the Commonwealth","order_by":null,"url":"\/1-506\/"},{"id":60130,"section_number":"22.1-208.01","catch_line":"Character education required","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-208.01\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":143213,"object_type":"law","relational_id":57753,"identifier":"1-500","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-500","url":"\/1-500\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/1-500\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-500","dublin_core":{"Title":"The great seal","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 1-500","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The great seal of the Commonwealth shall consist of two metallic discs, two and one-fourth inches in diameter, with an ornamental border one fourth of an inch wide, with such words and figures engraved as follows: On the obverse, Virtus, the genius of the Commonwealth, dressed as an Amazon, resting on a spear in her right hand, point downward, touching the earth; and holding in her left hand, a sheathed sword, or parazonium, pointing upward; her head erect and face upturned; her left foot on the form of Tyranny represented by the prostrate body of a man, with his head to her left, his fallen crown nearby, a broken chain in his left hand, and a scourge in his right. Above the group and within the border conforming therewith, shall be the word “Virginia,” and, in the space below, on a curved line, shall be the motto, “Sic Semper Tyrannis.” On the reverse<\/span>, shall be placed a group consisting of Libertas, holding a wand and pileus in her right hand; on her right, Aeternitas, with a globe and phoenix in her right hand; on the left of Libertas, Ceres, with a cornucopia in her left hand, and an ear of wheat in her right; over this device, in a curved line, the word “Perseverando.”<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nTHE GREAT SEAL (\u00a7 1-500)\n\nThe great seal of the Commonwealth shall consist of two metallic discs, two and\none-fourth inches in diameter, with an ornamental border one fourth of an inch\nwide, with such words and figures engraved as follows: On the obverse, Virtus,\nthe genius of the Commonwealth, dressed as an Amazon, resting on a spear in her\nright hand, point downward, touching the earth; and holding in her left hand, a\nsheathed sword, or parazonium, pointing upward; her head erect and face\nupturned; her left foot on the form of Tyranny represented by the prostrate body\nof a man, with his head to her left, his fallen crown nearby, a broken chain in\nhis left hand, and a scourge in his right. Above the group and within the border\nconforming therewith, shall be the word “Virginia,” and, in the\nspace below, on a curved line, shall be the motto, “Sic Semper\nTyrannis.” On the reverse, shall be placed a group consisting of Libertas,\nholding a wand and pileus in her right hand; on her right, Aeternitas, with a\nglobe and phoenix in her right hand; on the left of Libertas, Ceres, with a\ncornucopia in her left hand, and an ear of wheat in her right; over this device,\nin a curved line, the word “Perseverando.”\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 7-26; 1966, c. 102, \u00a7 7.1-26; 2005, c. 839.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}