Miniature twelve-pointed silver-gilt and red enamel star, the ends of each arm with four points, with green enamel laurel wreath woven above and below adjacent arms, with eyelet and silver-gilt oval laurel wreath and suspension ring with silver hallmark (tête de sanglier?) and indistinct maker’s mark; the face with a circular central silver-gilt medallion with a radiant sun above three Andean mountains, circumscribed ‘REPUBLICA DEL ECUADOR’; the reverse plain gilt; diameter 14.41mm (0.57 inch); on original ribbon with rosette on a gilt thread ground denoting an award of the knight grand cross rank. The Order was instituted on 8 October 1921 as the Medalla al Mérito (Medal of Merit) and redesignated as an Order in six grades on 2 December 1929 to be awarded for extraordinary achievements rendered to the nation, both civil and military and to both Ecuadoreans and foreigners and is Ecuador’s highest award. The Order is rare, especially in miniature.
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