The Great Seal of the United States was first used in 1782.
Congress approved the final design on June 20, 1782, after three committees and several years of proposals. Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress, assembled major elements into the final concept, while William Barton supplied important heraldic details.
The first brass die was made later in 1782. Charles Thomson used it on September 16 to authenticate a document concerning the exchange of prisoners during the Revolutionary War. The seal's obverse shows an eagle holding an olive branch and arrows, while the reverse features an unfinished pyramid and an Eye of Providence.
The Roman numerals MDCCLXXVI on the pyramid refer to 1776, the year of the Declaration of Independence. “E Pluribus Unum” appears on the obverse scroll. The seal is used to authenticate certain federal documents, rather than serving as a general decoration on every government paper.