Emblem of Guatemala, with a legend at the top, and fineness and date at the bottom.

The Emblem of Guatemala depicts two rifles and two swords crossed with a wreath of laurel. The middle will harbor a scroll of parchment with the words "Liberty 15 of September of 1821" and in the upper part a Quetzal as the symbol of national independence and autonomy. 15 September 1821 is the date of Central America's independence from Spain.

The resplendent quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala, and its image is found on the country's flag and coat of arms. It also lends its name to the country's currency, the Guatemalan quetzal (abbreviation GTQ).

Quetzal left on a texted column with an incuse inscription "30th June 1871", value and engraver's initials. Inscription "Law from 26th Nov 1924" above.

In 1871 generals Justo Rufino Barrios and Miguel García Granados led troops into Guatemala from Mexico and achieved the Liberal Revolution, entering Guatemala City on June 30. Army Day is celebrated on 30 June in Guatemala. This is a public holiday meant to honour the Armed Forces of the nation.

In the early 1920s Guatemala experienced difficult economic times, resulting in the First Monetary Reform of the Twentieth Century. As part of that reform, Governmental Accord No. 879 of November 26, 1924, was passed, and this law named the country's monetary unit the quetzal. The law also approved the minting of gold and silver coins. In order to ease the transition from the peso to the quetzal, an exchange rate of sixty pesos to one quetzal was established.