Since each nation has its own system of awards, it is impossible to collect the overwhelming amount of orders, decorations and medals over the course of thousands of years of human history. One tiny and fascinating area to possibly explore are the stars awarded by national and military entities. For the purpose of this article a “star” will be defined as a medal, decoration or order not attached to a ribbon, sash, collar or bar and usually secured by means of a pin or screw.
Stars are often associated with the highest class of an order and military awards, reserved for the most conspicuous acts of bravery or achievement. Reaching for a star to add a collection can be daunting for newer collectors. Many nations through the course of history have awarded stars as a way to reward individuals for meritorious careers, membership in royal families, heads of state, and even to civilians such as artists, scientists, and writers, etc.
A striking photo that illustrates the variety of stars and their placement on the uniform is that of Marquis Heihachiro Togo (1848-1934). Togo was the Japanese admiral who would lead the Imperial Japanese fleet to victory over the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War. It should be noted that several of the stars are honorary awards from European nations.
Examples of stars are
