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A star on a decoration — the commonest award motif, and the least transferable.
Also known as: Star on a medal, Award star, Breast star
Stars appear on more decorations than any other motif, and that ubiquity is exactly why a star tells you almost nothing on its own. Point count, colour, whether it is a plaque or a pendant, and above all which system issued it are what carry the information.
A star form used on decorations, orders and campaign medals across essentially every national honours system, in point counts from five to sixteen and more.
Contexts: History
In orders of chivalry a large star worn flat on the breast — a breast star — generally marks a senior grade, while junior grades wear a smaller badge from a ribbon. The presence of a breast star is therefore a grade indicator within that order.
Point count is a useful identifier because it is fixed per award, but it is not a scale of merit: an eight-pointed star is not more senior than a five-pointed one except within the system that defines both.
Comparing point counts across countries produces nonsense. The number identifies the award, not a level.
Distinct in every case from a rank star worn on a shoulder or collar, and from a small service star pinned to a ribbon to count campaigns.
A star of five or more points, worked either as a pendant hanging from a ribbon or as a larger flat plaque with faceted rays worn directly on the chest.
A service star is a small device counting campaigns; an award star is the decoration itself.