Nicaraguan Awards

[John5813]

All,

I was wondering if anyone has photos and /or descriptions of Nicaraguan decorations awarded to marines during the campaigns there. I am interested in the Presidential Medal of Merit, Cross of Valor, and Medal of Distinction. Thanks in advance.

John

[Ed_Haynes]

Yuri Yashnev has some treatment of Nicaraguan awards, including the

Valor Cross

http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/America/Nikaragua/VC/VC.htm

and

Merit Medal

http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/America/Nikaragua/MM/MM.htm

[heusy68]

Hello Gentlemen,

I know some sort of answer comes more than 13 years after the last post on this topic, but nicaraguayan phaleristic is also fascinating, because very few is known about, despite a book was published in 2007? or 2008.

In all my life I have been able to but 2 Cross of Valour, with each a different ribbon. The one at left is older (clearly). And ribbon from the one at left correspond to the one illustrated in the book.

Medals are in blackened metal.

I hope this helps.

Regards.

    Emmanuel

[heusy68]

Here is the Nicaragua Distinguished Service Cross.

Mine is marked 14 kt Gold.

Likely it is an early one, but it is possible that later version were in metal gilt.

Long time ago I had downloaded from eBay a photo the miniature of the Distinguished Service Cross

Any ways a very are to get award.

Best regards.

   Emmanuel

Edited January 29, 2018 by heusy68

[heusy68]

Here an exemple of the Medal of Merit.

This medal is clearly a medal struck in the 1920ies (more recent strike lacks details).

This medal is NOT in my collection, I just host the photo.

I hope this helps.

Regards.

    Emmanuel

[heusy68]

Hello Gentlemen, to complete this post, here some photo of Anastacio Somoza, that I grabbed left & right on the net. They are the best I have been able to get, which shown his medals. Ribbon of his Distinguished Service Cross seems different of mine, but I'am pretty sure mine is correct too (maybe ribbon colors have changed from decade to another ??).

I've never been to Nicaragua myself, but I bet all traces of this era have been vanished, and that no sample of pre 1977 Orders & Medals remains in Museum in Nicaragua, if ever there were there.

Could be possible that one day I would fly up to Managua (from a nearby distance in central America), just to check if there is an Army Museum worth to visit).

There is a web site, where all the current (post sandinist) medals of the Nicaraguan Army are on display, ....and even if this web site is down, I had downloaded the photo of the medals, so one day I may post them on GMIC, but in medal show or auction I never saw any of these new medals for sale, with sole exception of the Army 5 Years Long Service Medal (yes they got an Army 5 Years Service Medal currently).

Regards.

    Emmanuel

[medalworld]

For those collectors interested in the topic of Nicaraguan ODMs, the cover of the standard reference on Nicaraguan numismatics is shown in the attachment. Chapter three on the nation's medals, pages 173 through 301, covers all Nicaragua's Orders, Decorations & Medals, military and civilian, as well as selected historical medals (medallions) and misc. medals, from 1854 to the early 21st century, the book being published in 2002. As a fully illustrated comprehensive reference, in addition to medals, the coins, paper money and tokens are also receive excellent coverage. To  my knowledge there was only one print run when published, but as a specialized work of limited interest, there should still be copies available from numismatic booksellers.  I seem to recall the price was about $75 or so. For medal collectors interested in modern ODMs from the second half of the 20th century to about 2000, I know of no other book but this one where such information can be found.