The design of the coat of arms of the Republic of Nauru originated in 1968 following the declaration of independence, and it began to be used officially in the early 1970s.

In the upper section the alchemical symbol of phosphorus is shown over a golden woven background.

[1] The lower silver section depicts a black frigatebird, which sits on a perch over blue ocean waves.

The shield is surrounded by images of tribal chief gear, which was worn to ceremonies - ropes from palm leaves, feathers of the frigatebird and shark teeth.

The woven background symbolises the people of Nauru; the frigatebird the fauna there; the alchemical symbol for phosphorus, the mining of phosphates.