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.

N. S. Myer, New York, Proposals and die trials for the Order of Naval Merit, Medal of Distinguished Service of the Dominican Republic, 1949
The N. S. Myer Company, New York

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.

Venezuela, Cross of the Venezuelan Air Force, instituted 1945, manufactured by N. S. Myer (Ve15a)
Dominican Republic, Order of Naval Merit, Medal of Distinguished Service, manufactured by N. S. Myer, pre-1961 and post-1961 (RLR)
Dominican Republic, Order of Naval Merit, Medal of Distinguished Service, manufactured by N. S. Myer, pre-1961 and post-1961 (RLR)
N. S. Myer, New York, Proposal for the Order of Naval Merit, Medal of Honor of the Dominican Republic, 1949
Dominican Republic, Order of Naval Merit, Medal of Honor, manufactured by N. S. Myer, pre 1961 and post-1961 (RLR)
Dominican Republic, Order of Naval Merit, Medal of Honor, manufactured by N. S. Myer, pre 1961 and post-1961 (RLR)
Dominican Republic, Order of Naval Merit, Medal for Naval Merit, manufactured by N. S. Myer, pre-1961 and post-1961 (RLR)
Dominican Republic, Order of Naval Merit, Medal for Naval Merit, manufactured by N. S. Myer, pre-1961 and post-1961 (RLR)
Dominican Republic, Order of Naval Merit, Medal of Valor, manufactured by N. S. Myer, pre 1961 and post-1961 (RLR)
Dominican Republic, Order of Naval Merit, Medal of Valor, manufactured by N. S. Myer, pre 1961 and post-1961 (RLR)
Haiti, Medal of Distinguished Services, instituted 1922, manufactured by N. S. Myer (Ha2)
Honduras, Medal of Honor, manufactured by N. S. Myer (Hn5)
Honduras, Medal for Distinguished Services, manufactured by N. S. Myer (Hn9)
Nicaragua, Medal of Merit, manufactured by N. S. Myer (Ni4)
Panama, Medal for Fallen in the Line of Duty, manufactured by N. S. Myer (Pa4)