The Roman-numeral year at the base of the pyramid on the Great Seal of the United States is MDCCLXXVI.
MDCCLXXVI converts to 1776, the year of the Declaration of Independence. On the seal’s reverse, the unfinished pyramid has 13 courses representing the original states, and an Eye of Providence appears above it.
Congress approved the Great Seal’s design on June 20, 1782. The seal’s obverse features the national coat of arms, including an eagle, a shield, an olive branch, and arrows. The reverse design appears on the back of the one-dollar bill.
The Roman numerals are not the year the seal was adopted. The seal dates to 1782, while the year shown on the pyramid points back to the nation’s declaration of independence.