The Secretary of the Commonwealth is the keeper of the Great Seal, and has the duty of authenticating government documents, and proclaiming new law as enacted through its use.

The obverse of the seal has a central image of a shield containing a ship under full sail, a plow, and three sheaves of wheat.

On either side of the shield are a stalk of Indian corn and an olive branch, representing the state's recognition of its past and hopes for the future.

Atop the shield an eagle proudly symbolizes the state's sovereignty.

The reverse side, or counterseal, pictures Lady Liberty dominating Tyranny in the form of a lion, along with the warning across the top, "Both Can't Survive."