The Design and Manufacture of Medals and Orders
Most Latin American medals have been struck by the mints that make national coinage. By contrast, virtually all orders (and some medals) are manufactured by private firms throughout the world that specialize in such awards. Some of the better known ones established their reputations centuries ago by providing jewel-quality orders to the ruling royal families.In most cases, medals and orders are designed by the same mints and companies that manufacture them. Typically, the maker submits a design to the government, which approves it before drafting the decree that will lay out the specifications for the award.
From 1868 to 2000, when it was taken over by Vanguard Industries, the N. S. Myer Company of New York made medals for the United States armed forces and for a number of other nations, including the Dominican Republic, as well as for public and private institutions. Its sign is still visible on the building at 42 East 20th Street that now houses the Gramercy Tavern.The Dominican Republic’s Order of Naval Merit is awarded for outstanding service and is divided into four classes with distinct medals of different designs and ribbons. All of them were instituted by Law No. 2,043 on July 5, 1954, during the government of Rafael Trujillo. The original design of the four classes provided for five stars on the obverse, symbolizing Trujillo as generalissimo. The stars were removed following his assassination in 1961.
