Editing Coat of arms of Costa Rica (section)

==Historical coat of arms of the republic==
[[File:First postal stamp CR 4 Reales 1863.jpg|thumb|150px|The design of the 1848 coat of arms was featured on the first Costa Rican [[postal stamp]], issued in 1863.]]
The basis of the current national coat of arms of Costa Rica was adopted 29 September 1848, during the presidency of Dr [[Jose Maria Castro Madriz]] together with the new flag. Both designs are attributed to Pacifica Fernandez, wife of Mr Castro Madriz. These arms were significantly modified by law number 18 of 27 November 1906, which eliminated the military symbols, national flags and horn of plenty contained in the 1848 design.<ref name="historia" />

In 1964 two stars were added to the original five in order to complete seven, which by then was the number of provinces of the country. In 1848, when the original design was adopted the current provinces of [[Puntarenas Province|Puntarenas]] and [[Limon Province|Limon]] had not reached that status.<ref name="historia" />

On 5 May 1998, by Executive Decree No. 26853-SP, the coat of arms was given its current form, including the smoking volcanoes. Before this date, the three mountains did not show smoke coming out of their tops.

As officially described, the coat of arms represents: three volcanoes (one for each of the three mountain ranges in the country) and an extensive valley between two oceans (Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea) with a merchant ship in each one (representing the maritime history of the country). In the horizon a rising sun.  All are surrounded by a golden frame with golden beads (coffee). Two palms close the arms joined by a white ribbon with the motto "República de Costa Rica" in gold. An arch of seven stars represent the provinces of the republic. The arms are crowned by a blue ribbon with the motto "America Central".<ref name="1998ExecDecree" />

<gallery>
File:Coat of arms of the United Provinces of Central America.svg|Coat of arms of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1823 to November 1824
File:Coat of arms of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg|Coat of arms of the Federal Republic of Central America from November 1824 to November 1840
File:Coat of arms of Costa Rica (1824-1840 and 1842-1848).svg|Coat of arms of the Free State of Costa Rica within the Federal Republic of Central America from 2 November  1824 to 15 November 1840. Also used again by the independent state of Costa Rica from September 1842 to September 1848
File:Coat of arms of Costa Rica (1840-1842).svg|Coat of arms of the independent State of Costa Rica from April 1840 to April 1842
File:Coat of arms of Costa Rica (1848-1906).svg|Coat of arms of Costa Rica from September 1848 to November 1906
File:Coat of arms of Costa Rica (1906-1964).svg|Coat of arms of Costa Rica from November 1906 to 1964
File:Coat of arms of Costa Rica (1964-1998).svg|Coat of arms of Costa Rica from 1964 to 1998
</gallery>