Seal of New York City

The Seal of New York City has already been adopted in an earlier form in 1686 and bears the inscription SIGILLUM CIVITATIS NOVI EBORACI, which simply " Seal of the City New York " means: Eboracum was the Roman name for York, the titular see of James II as Duke of York, Civitas Novi Eboraci is hence the Latinized name of the city.

On the shield four sails of a windmill are shown to remind the Dutch history of the city as Nieuw Amsterdam. The beavers and flour barrels mark the first trading goods in the city. The flour barrels and windmill are also available for the enormous wealth that the Bolting Act created in 1674 for the city. The law gave the city an exclusive monopoly on mills and flour exports.

The two plate holder to represent the unity between the indigenous Native Americans and the colonists. The colonist left of the shield is a sailor and holds a plumb line in his right hand. Over his right shoulder, a Jacob's staff is shown. The right of the shield is a member of the Lenni Lenape Indian tribe depicted, which were based in Manhattan. In his left hand he holds a bow. The plate and the plate holder stand on a horizontal laurel branch.

As a crest a bald eagle is depicted on the seal, which was added after the American Revolution. At the bottom is the year given in 1625, the founding year of the city. A laurel wreath encircles the seal.