Order of Merit of the Hungarian People's Republic, Breast Star, 2nd class, in silver gilt, 1943-53.
Silver gilt, enamels. Measures 58.9 mm in height, 58.6 mm in width; weighs 78.9 grams. Marker mark or serial number "4" to the underside of the pin near the hinge.
In outstanding condition. The enamels are flawless. The details are completely free of wear, and the original gilt finish is nicely preserved and bright. This magnificent piece is of finer quality than nearly all other contemporary Hungarian awards. Only 174 of the Orders of Merit of the Hungarian People's Republic had been issued in total by the time the award was abolished in 1953. It is currently unknown how many of those were "VIP" issues in silver gilt, but vast majority of the recipients had the regular version in brass. The number of high ranking state officials who received the silver version must be extremely small, no more than a few dozen in our estimate.