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Dominican Republic (under Spain), silver Gran Cruz knight's badge for the Spanish Order of Charles I

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Exonumia - Medals Start Price:1,200.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 3,000.00 USD
Dominican Republic (under Spain), silver Gran Cruz knight's badge for the Spanish Order of Charles I
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This item SOLD at 2023 May 04 @ 15:07UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Dominican Republic (under Spain), silver Gran Cruz knight's badge for the Spanish Order of Charles III, dedicated in 1865 to Captain General Jose de la Gandara y Navarro as head of the troops in the War of Restoration in Santo Domingo (1863-65), unique and important. Perez Guerra-5 var. 51.66 grams; 70 x 70 mm. Maltese Cross-shaped silver decoration (missing three ball-points on cross-tips) with fleur-de-lis in corners and oval medallion in center showing a radiant Virgin Mary in heavy gold plating with white and blue enamel within blue enameled ring with gold lettering VIRTUTI / ET MERITO flanking blue ordinal III inside green wreath, the reverse with pin and loops for ribbon, script-engraved on the smooth silver back "Sus ayudantes / de Campo y oficiales / a las ordenes de V.E. / en 19 de Marzo de 1865 / en Santo Domingo." The Dominican Republic celebrates two dates of independence: the 1844 independence from Haiti and the 1865 independence from Spain, which had annexed Santo Domingo in 1861. The Dominican War of Restoration was a campaign to quell insurrection against Spanish domination beginning in the year 1863. Jose de la Gandara y Navarro led the Spanish troops in several bloody conflicts over the next two years, eventually resulting in the de-annexation of Santo Domingo by the Spanish in 1865. It appears this top-honors decoration, made in Spain but engraved in Santo Domingo, was given to Gandara just as the Dominican Republic achieved its second independence. While his name is not mentioned in the engraved dedication on this piece, the reference is clear and the date of dedication is the Feast of Saint Joseph, Gandara's patron saint.