Dr. Bob visits the Keeper of the Great Seal of the U.S.A. in Washington D.C.

Soon after the publication of Dr. Bob Hieronimus’s book, The United Symbolism of America, he enjoyed a private tour of the actual Great Seal press and the comprehensive and beautiful exhibit on the history of the Seal.  Invited by Senior Curator, U.S. Diplomacy Center Dr. Priscilla Linn, to view the exhibit called “Celebrating the 225th Anniversary of the Great Seal of the United States: Past, Present and Future,” Dr. Bob was also specially treated to a demonstration of the Great Seal in action.  Sharon Hardy, Chief of the Office of Presidential Appointments, Bureau of Human Resources, demonstrated the Seal press with an actual Presidential document, which she made official by imprinting on it the Great Seal of the United States.  Ms. Hardy is the official custodian of the Great Seal, and each year, she and her staff imprint seals for between 2,000-3,000 documents, including presidential commissions, diplomatic envelopes, and treaties.

The U.S. has never cut a die for the reverse, but its image appears on the back of the one dollar bill.

 

Sorry conspiracy theorists!

The traveling exhibit “Celebrating the 225th Anniversary of the Great Seal” curated by Dr. Linn shows in exquisite detail the dry and historical veracity of the origins of these arcane designs and why they were really chosen by the Founding Fathers.  It is a waste of time to try to connect these symbols to a Devil-worshipping secret society bent on world domination.  That’s not to say selfish and greedy powerful men do not meet in secret and try to manipulate world events to their advantage – they do.  But trying to use our national symbols to prove the existence of such a group is based on urban legends, lies, mistranslations, and has its origins in the anti-Communist propaganda of the 1930s.  Go ahead and attack the secret cabals all you want, just leave our national symbols out of it. 

 

 

 

Curator Dr. Priscilla Linn, Dr. Bob Hieronimus, and Sharon Hardy (Keeper of the Seal) pose in front of both seals.

Hardy and Linn review their copies of Dr. Bob’s new book, The United Symbolism of America.

Hieronimus and Linn appreciating the antique seal artifacts at her exhibit, “Celebrating the 225th Anniversary of the Great Seal of the United States: Past, Present and Future.”

Hieronimus and Linn examine the display on the front or “eagle” side of the Great Seal of the United States.

Close-ups of the actual Great Seal press.  There is an official die cut for only the obverse of our two-sided national seal.  The reverse does not have an official die press and is not used to authenticate official documents.

Sharon Hardy, the official custodian and protector of the Great Seal, displays the newly imprinted presidential proclamation.

Close-up of the newly pressed seal.

Dr. Hieronimus and Sharon Hardy examine the new pressing.  Notice the bar that looks like a dumbbell over their heads.  This is spun downwards to screw the seal impression onto the document inserted underneath.  This particular mechanism has been in use since 1903.

Dr. Bob and the newly sealed document.