Venezuela, Republic. An Order Of The Liberator, Iii Class Star, C.1950

(Orden del Libertador). Instituted in 1854 as a Medal of Distinction and promoted in 1884 as an Order of Merit. Type II (1922-2010). Likely national manufacture, a time period III Class breast star, consisting of a finely eight-pointed rayed star in silver, the arms exhibiting clusters of multiple smooth, pebble rays, with obverse featuring an engraved highly-detailed Venezuelan coat of arms on a polished silver background, surrounded by a hand-chased ornamented border also in silver, the reverse featuring a principal vertical pin assembly, marked by silver content “900”, measuring 75.51 mm (w) x 82.31 mm (h), with minor toned silver in the tips and light contact, otherwise extremely fine and desirable piece.

Footnote: The Order of the Liberator was the highest distinction of Venezuela and was appointed for services to the country, outstanding merit and benefits made to the community, until its abolition in 2010. The order was confirmed by Antonio Guzmán Blanco on September 14, 1880, and reformed in 1922 under the presidential term of Juan Vicente Gómez.