Baldwin & Sons
Auction 102 4 October 2016
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BRITISH 18TH CENTURY TOKENS, ENGLAND, John Milton, (1751-1843), grocer and draper, Winchelsea, Copper and Gilt-Copper Penny (2), 1797, obv laureate bust of George III right, GEORGIVS . III . DEI . GRATIA around, rev crown and regal implements on a pedestal inscribed HOWE ST. VINCENT DUNCAN, three fleur-de-lis above, ROYAL . THANKSGIVING . AT . ST . PAULS Ex: DEC . 19 . 1797 around, edge plain (Conder p.75, 60; Atkins p.80, 106; D&H Middlesex 192). First essentially as made with faded colour remaining, second with minor blemishes, otherwise good extremely fine. (2)
Milton was appointed as Assistant Engraver at the Royal Mint in 1787 and was Medalist to the Prince of Wales. Milton executed dies for a number of provincial coins including those for Colonel Fullarton. Sir Joseph Banks noticed these dies while they were still in Milton's possession and, remarking upon their resemblance to national silver coin then in circulation, cautioned Milton against the project as the artist may be subject to "a charge little short of High Treason". The project was ultimately abandoned but Milton was later dismissed from the Royal Mint in 1798 after it was learned that he had been supplying counterfeit dies to produce foreign gold.
Estimate: £300-500
Milton was appointed as Assistant Engraver at the Royal Mint in 1787 and was Medalist to the Prince of Wales. Milton executed dies for a number of provincial coins including those for Colonel Fullarton. Sir Joseph Banks noticed these dies while they were still in Milton's possession and, remarking upon their resemblance to national silver coin then in circulation, cautioned Milton against the project as the artist may be subject to "a charge little short of High Treason". The project was ultimately abandoned but Milton was later dismissed from the Royal Mint in 1798 after it was learned that he had been supplying counterfeit dies to produce foreign gold.
Estimate: £300-500