Bahamas - Coat of Arms

Commonwealth of the Bahamas

Last modified: 2021-08-25 by rob raeside
Keywords: bahamas | rising sun | columbus ship | the bahamas |
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image by Martin Grieve, 26 January 2002

• Coat of Arms
• Details of the Coat of Arms

See also:

• The Bahamas
• Bahamas - Flag Legislation
• The Bahamas - The Colonial Period

Coat of Arms

The full version of the Bahamian coat of arms can be seen on the Bahamian page of the Commonwealth-on-line Website. What is displayed below is just the central blazon.
Charlisa Cooper, 28 April 1999

I scanned image from Mauro Talocci book: "guide to flags of the world" and cleaned it.
Martin Grieve, 26 January 2002

Details of the Coat of Arms

image by Jaume Ollé

Description of the coat of arms of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas (1971):

Blazon (cf. above image): divided, in chief azure a rising sun irradiated or, in base, argent a Columbus ship proper surmounts barry nebuly of two azure;
Crest: atop a Sovereign's helm or a conch shell proper surrounded by five palm fronds vert on a wreath of the chief's colors, from which issues mantling azure lined argent;
Compartment: divided, dexter the sea argent and azure, sinister, the earth vert, overall the motto: Forward, upward, onward together on a band or lined azure;`
Supporters: a blue marlin dexter, a flamingo sinister both proper.

Designed by Hervis Bain of Nassau.

Sources:
Berryman, John. The Bahamas: A social studies course for secondary schools. (London: Macmilian Caribbean, 1980) 69-70.
Neubecker, Ottfried. A Guide to Heraldry. (London: McGraw Hill, 1979) 148.

Richard Oliver (forwarded by Nahum Shereshevsky), 4 December 1998