Member’s Badge, 34x25 mm., GOLD, as a 5-pointed star with chiseled border and ball-finials, resting on flattened, swallow-tailed beams and within chiseled laurel and palm wreath tied by a bow, obverse centre medallion with negative-embossed motto “PREMIUM MERITI”, reverse medallion, with similarly negative-embossed motto “HONOR ET GLORIA”, above, a laurel wreath tied by broad, chiseled bow and on top a swivelling, horizontally oval suspension ring and original ribbon.
An extremely rare badge from the institution of the Order in 1865, by decree of President Francisco Solano Lopez, as a reward for outstanding merits towards the state, excellent condition and manufacture. Bibl.: A. Gf. Klenau: “Orders of the World – The Americas”, Offenbach a.M., 2018, p. 260/1 I RR!