'The face of the seal, on the right-hand side of the bill, shows the American bald eagle with wings and claws outstretched. Above the eagle's head is a glory, or burst of light, containing 13 stars. (The number 13 represents the original 13 states.) The right claws hold an olive branch with 13 leaves, representing peace, and the left, a bundle of 13 arrows, symbolizing war; the eagle's head is turned toward the olive branch, indicating a desire for peace. The shield (with 13 stripes) covering the eagle's breast symbolizes a united nation. A ribbon held in the eagle's beak bears the Latin motto E Pluribus Unum (13 letters), which means "out of many, one."
The back of the Great Seal, on the left-hand side of the bill, depicts a pyramid, a symbol of material strength and endurance. The pyramid is unfinished, symbolizing a striving toward growth and a goal of perfection. Above the pyramid a glory, with an eye inside a triangle, represents the eternal eye of God and places the spiritual above the material. At the top edge is the 13-letter Latin motto Annuit Coeptis, meaning "He has favored our undertakings." The base of the pyramid bears the roman numerals MDCCLXXVI (1776). Below is the motto Novus Ordo Seclorum, "a new order of the ages."'
