Argentina. An Order of Merit, Breast Star to Spanish Government Recipient

(AKA Order of May): Three-piece construction, silver gilt with red and white enamels, unmarked, 77.5 mm x 79.2 mm, horizontal pinback with hook on the reverse, extremely fine. Accompanied by its 8 mm Rosette with button hole attachment, along with a business card with the embossed Argentinian coat-of-arms in gold-coloured ink and inscribed "Señor Director del Gabinete del Portavoz del Gobierno de Espana" (Director of the Spokesman's Office for the Government of Spain) "D. José Miguel MURO-MARTINEZ", in their hardshelled case of issue, Argentinian coat-of-arms on the lid, dual tabbed medal bed for the award and rosette, light wear on the exterior, case near extremely fine.

Footnote: The Order of May was created as an Order of Merit by Decree No. 8506/46 of 1946. In 1957, the rules of the order were modified and the Order of Merit was re-named the Order of May by Decree No. 16,629. The order was further divided into the categories Merit, Military Merit, Naval Merit and Aeronautical Merit. In 1958, the regulation was further amended and the Necklace of Merit grade class was abolished. It currently comes in six grades: Collar (Collar); Grand Cross (Gran Cruz); Grand Officer (Gran Oficial); Commander (Comendador); Officer (Oficial); and Knight (Caballero).