Great Seal of the United States talon (referring to the 13 original states), and an olive branch in its right talon, together symbolizing that the United States has "a strong desire for peace, but will always be ready for war." (see Olive Branch Petition). Although not specified by law, the olive branch is usually depicted with 13 leaves and 13 olives, again representing the 13 original states. The eagle has its head turned towards the olive branch, on its right side, said to symbolize a preference for peace. In its beak, the eagle clutches a scroll with the motto "E pluribus unum" ("Out of Many, One").
Great Seal of the United States current die is the seventh, and was made in 1986. [[File:US Dorsett seal.jpg|thumb|Dorsett seal, reversed photography]] In 1894 Palemon Howard Dorsett, a lifelong Department of Agriculture employee, turned up at the Department of State with a metal die engraved with the Great Seal, claiming it had originally been given to his family by a nephew of [[George Washington]]. It was examined by [[Gaillard Hunt]], the author of a pamphlet on the Great Seal, who agreed that it appeared to be contemporaneous with the original 1782 seal, but he took no further interest in the matter. Decades later, in 1936, Dorsett