It depicts a blacksmith working at an anvil along with various other symbols related to Nebraska during the early days of its statehood.

The 1867 legislative act that established the seal describes it in these words:[1] The eastern part of the circle to be represented by a steamboat ascending the Missouri river; the mechanic arts to be represented by a smith with hammer and anvil; in the foreground, agriculture to be represented by a settler's cabin, sheaves of wheat and stalks of growing corn; in the background a train of cars heading towards the Rocky Mountains, and on the extreme west, the Rocky Mountains to be plainly in view; around the top of this circle to be in capital letters, the motto.

'EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW,' and the circle to be surrounded with the words, 'Great Seal of the State of Nebraska, March 1st, 1867.

[4][5] The lion's head press was used for official business for 138 years, when it was retired by Secretary of State John A. Gale because it was in danger of breaking.

[2] The Nebraska State Journal gently criticized the design in 1921, finding the 1867 seal "archaic in conception and mediocre in drawing" though still interesting and nostalgic.