Coats of Arms can be held by persons, countries, municipalities and corporations.
If you are looking for a personal Coat of Arms as a parchment print, wall plaque, key chain, T-shirt or other item, click here.
If you would like to create lapel pins from your organization's Coat of Arms, click here and choose the item(s) you would like your Coat of Arms to appear on.
If you need a Coat of Arms designed or created, please click here and enter your request in the "general inquiries" box, or, if you prefer, you can call us toll-free at 1-800 563-8960.
A complete coat of arms (correctly referred to as an Achievement of Arms) includes the following elements:
Civic arms may include all these elements, but in many cases are limited to the essential ones - the shield and usually the crest. The shield is retained because the integral combination of charges on it is the unique element of identification.
The helmet is often dispensed with because of its asoiation with personal military prowess. When retained, it is used purely as a traditional element. The mantling is often omitted, not only because it is an accoutrement of the helmet, but also because its omission allows for a cleaner, simpler design. The torse is also an accoutrement of the helmet, but is ususally retained for aesthetic reasons, and as a base for the crest. In English civic heraldry, supporters are used to indicate a status of "borough" or higher. Because there is no exact correspondence in our Canadian jurisdictional hierarchy, supporters may be used or omitted.
The decision as to whether all elements should be included in a civic coat of arms is basically a matter of taste. Heraldically, the only indispensible element is the shield. Consideration of symbolic completeness may be legitimately weighed against consideration of simplicity, elegance and symmetry. All this is a matter at the discretion of the municipality and the heraldic artist.