Coat of Arms of Sunderland - 1992-to Date

1992-to Date

||Although the grant of 1974 was made to the Council of the Borough of Sunderland and its successors regardless of their names, elevation to city status in 1992 was celebrated with a new grant of arms, which city officials requested had "not as much white" as previous arms.

Azure between in Chief and in Base a Bar wavy Argent charged with a like Barrulet Azure a Crown flory Or the circlet charged with four Saltires couped Gules

For crest: Upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Azure upon Water barry wavy Azure Argent Azure a Lymphad with oars in action proper each Castle charged with two Crosses of Saint Cuthbert (one manifest) Or a sail of the Arms pennon and flags Gules Mantled Azure doubled Or.

For supporters: On the Dexter side a lion Or, armed and langued Gules gorged with a collar argent fimbriated Sable charged with six ears of wheat proper(three manifest), dependent therefrom a Roundel per bend wavy Or and Azure charged with a Cross pommy Gules entwined by an Orle Argent standing on an Anchor the flukes inward Or and on the Sinister side a Lion Azure armed and langued Gules gorged with a collar Argent fimbriated Gules charged with six mullets also Gules (three manifest) dependent therefom a Roundel per bend wavy Or and Azure charged with a Boar's Head close couped Gules armed Or standing on a Miner's Pick ward Or the head turned inwards also Gold

The badge an Estoile Gules charged with a Crown Flory Or the circlet charged with four Saltires couped Gules has five arms to represent the new and tradition industries now in the city.

The motto, Nil desperandum auspice Deo, has traditionally been used by Sunderland.

Sunderland gained city status in the fortieth year of Queen Elizabeth's reign, and each saltire supposedly represents ten years of that reign. However, in the definitive painting, on the letters patent, the each crown has two and two half-saltires visible. Usually this implies another two and two half-saltires on the invisible half of the circlet. When used by the council the crowns have four full saltires visible. Although the traditional sextant, as a reminder of Sunderland's shipping history has been lost, the supporters and crest still retain the reminders of the inland areas of the city.