History

The Order of the Romanian Crown was established by King Carol I in 1881 on the same day as his coronation. It was conferred upon Romanian citizens and foreigners in recognition of special merit. Beginning in 1938, the Order was awarded in civilian and military divisions, and in 1939 a grade was added for women. It could also be awarded with swords in recognition of wartime merit from 1916-1947. The Order was permanently suppressed in 1947 following the abolition of the Romanian monarchy. Today it exists as a dynastic order that is only awarded by the House of Hohenzollern.

There are two models of the Grand Officer Breast Star. The first features a crown on the obverse while the second features the royal cypher of King Carol II. The second model was awarded in three divisions that differ in design. The Grand Officer Breast Star (Military Division, peacetime, 1938-1947) features a surmounting crown and the Grand Officer Breast Star (Military Division, wartime, 1938-1947) features a surmounting crown with crossed swords. All versions have an obverse inscription that translates to "By Ourselves."

There may be additional versions of the Grand Officer Breast Star that differ in size or composition due to a variety of manufacturers.