History

The Order of Bernardo O'Higgins was originally created in 1956 as a complement to the Order of Merit. The first consists of the lower two grades of the second; the Bernardo O'Higgins Class I Medal and the Bernardo O'Higgins Class II Medal. These Medals were separated and promoted to Order in 1967.

It is currently awarded to recognize foreign nationals who provided outstanding services to education, the arts, trades, industries, sciences, humanitarian and social cooperation. It is the second highest Order in Chile.

The Order's grades are Grand Cross (added in 1968), Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, I Class Knight and II Class Knight.

It is not clear if the design of the badge was changed in the 1967 reformation.

Known makers include, but are not limited to, Hours, Santiago.

The Order is quite rare.

In Medalbook, the Order is classified into Types. Type I includes the Medals that were complement of the Order of Merit, while Type II consists of the awards from 1967 to the present.