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Silver-gilt edged black enamel miniature Maltese cross with five arms, a set of seven graduated rays between each arm, on laterally-pierced ball suspension with ‘poinçon au crabe’ silver hallmark; the face with a central circular silver gilt medallion bearing the arms of Dahomey, being a sailing boat, tribal wands and bow and arrow on a stippled ground within a circular laurel wreath border; the reverse plain; size excluding suspension ring 20mm by 17mm (3/4 inch by 5/16 inch); on original ribbon with rosette denoting an award of the officer class. The Order was instituted on 21 July 1960 and modified in 1962 and 1965. It was suppressed by the Marxist regime of Mathieu Kérékou that seized power in 1972 and abolished in 1975 when the country was renamed the Republic of Benin. High-quality miniature of a rare, defunct order.
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