United Kingdom. A 1973 Queen Elizabeth II Efficiency Decoration

Instituted in 1930. In silver and silver gilt, oval wreath of oak leaves, the obverse bearing Queen Elizabeth’s Royal cypher, the reverse inscribed 1973, 55.4 mm (h) x 36.9 mm (w), original ribbon, topped with a brooch bar inscribed T. & A. V. R., slight wear to silver gilt along the edges, extremely fine. In a hard-shelled case, white satin lined on the inside lid, red velvet medal bed, marked Royal Mint, extremely fine condition.

Footnote: The Efficiency Decoration was instituted in 1930 and awarded to part-time officers after twenty years of service as an efficient and thoroughly capable officer. The decoration superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Territorial Decoration. Following the formation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve in 1967, the subsidiary title on the bar-brooch was changed from "TERRITORIAL" to "T. & A.V.R." and the dark green and lime yellow ribbon was replaced by a half blue, half green ribbon with a 7 millimeters wide lime yellow band in the center.