Portugal Very Rare Portuguese Military Valor Medal 1946

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The Military Valor Medal its a Portuguese medal created in 1863 by the King D.Luiz I, alongside the other two first military medals, the Good Services medal (Red and White ribbon) and Exemplar Beaver medal (Green and White ribbon). All of them in three classes, cooper, silver and gold.
From 1946 it’s the second highest Portuguese military decoration, just after the mythic Order of the Tower and Sword, dethroning the Portuguese War Cross that was from 1916 until 1946 the second Portuguese military award.

Despite this exchange the Portuguese War Cross, is still being the most well-known and prestigious award among the Portuguese people.

2013 marks the Portuguese Military Medal 150 anniversary, and as normal, in the last 150 years do to the political and cultural exchanges, this medals suffer regular esthetic alterations.

This model here present it’s the 1946/1949, transitional decree model, the rarest of them hall, and in my opinion, one of the most beautiful designs achieved.

In gilded-silver, indication of the first class, although the gilding is almost disappeared, with a palm indication that was awarded in campaign against the enemy, most probably in the Overseas war.
The Front shows a National Shield of Arms with the words “Valor Militar”, military valor.
The Back shows a Christian Knight at Arms dueling a Muslim Knight, surrounded by the legend “Sine Sanguine Nula Victoria”, that means, Without blood there will be no Victory.