NEW YORK STATE vs. STATE OF NEW YORK - More bureacratic word magic.

[allodial]

This might be worth adding: New York State is probably a territory (or administrative district) of New York or of the people of the State of New York.

Hint: the gold / silver coin limitation is probably inapplicable in territories.

The New York Provincial Congress of local representatives declared itself the government on May 22, 1775, first referred to the "State of New York" in 1776, and ratified the New York State Constitution in 1777. While the British regained New York City during the American Revolutionary War using it as its military and political base of operations in North America and a British governor was technically in office, much of the remainder of the former colony was held by the Patriots. British claims on any part of New York ended with the Treaty of Paris of 1783.

It looks as though they formed the "NEW YORK STATE" corporation the following year Allodial ! So the State of New York, and true law still exists. It really is two forms of government when you think about it.

Unless the specific term is used by the New York legislature its moot. The Wikipedia 'street talk' language is 'baby talk' and errant --and likely not binding upon the State of New York. The ratification was necessary to validate the constitution which established the State of New York. If looking for precise and exact names of states, governments or titles of officers I would look to specific founding documents, law books, court cases rather than to Wikipedia. (Officially, to knowledge, there is an "Attorney General of the State of New York" and a "New York State Attorney General" but not a "New York Attorney General" regardless of what the newspapers say.)

Case in point. If you look at the Wikipedia article on the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles you might get the impression that Charles A Harnett was the first head of the the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and that the the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles existed since 1924.

The truth is that Charles A. Harnett held the office of Commissioner of the "Bureau of Motor Vehicles of the State of New York" (1924-1960).

Prior to the official opening of the DMV Albany Central Office on January 3, 1961, we were known as the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (1924-1960). (NYSDMV)

He said after speaking to his traffic unit who “eat and sleep cars,” they gave him a lesson on DMV history.
The state began registering vehicles in April 1901 and was the first to enact driver licensing in 1903, but wasn’t mandated until 1924. It also didn’t require annual registrations until 1910.
In 1911, license plates began being issued under a private contractor and in 1921 all functions of vehicle registration were transferred to the State Tax Commission.
Two year later in 1923, the state began manufacturing its own license plates at the state correctional facility in Auburn.
In 1961, all functions were taken over by the newly created DMV. (source)

Between the lines, it is likely that the state's motor vehicle regulations went from state law to territorial or administrative law in 1961 (under Governor John Rockefeller). What a coincidence, silver coin stopped circulation in 1961. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles did not exist prior to 1961--it is a new creation. The new agency assumed the functions of the former Bureau of Motor Vehicles was of the State of New York.

P.S. the original flag for the State of New York featured a white background. In 1901 a change was made for a blue background.