Miniature gilt and white enamel five-pointed star with ball-tipped finials, with gilt ribbed arms between the points supporting a green enamel laurel and palm wreath, on integral decorated loop for ribbon suspension; the face with a circular central silver-gilt medallion with a full-face head of a lion; the reverse plain gilt; diameter 18.79mm (0.74 inch); on original age-faded ribbon. The National Order of Merit was established by Marshal Francisco Solano López (24 July 1827-1 March 1870) who succeed his father as president of Paraguay in 1862 and held the office until his death in combat in 1870. He is remembered above all for bringing upon Paraguay the catastrophic war against the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay but his reputation has recovered in recent years, driven by nationalist sentiment. Originally the Order was for military only but it was revised in 1939 and is now Paraguay’s highest order for military and civil merit. The Order is hard to find.
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