Description
County, John Milton Silver Penny/Medal, bust of the Prince of Wales, rev, Prince of Wales plumes and motto, edge plain, 32mm/12.30gm. (DH 1). From a fractured obverse die, otherwise as struck with attractive orange/blue iridescence to toning, of the highest rarity.
Ex. ‘an old Surrey Col.’ via Mark Rasmussen 2009.
It is not entirely clear why D&H ascribed this piece to Ayrshire – however, Milton had been executing dies for a
number of similar looking tokens for Colonel Fullarton in this county. Sir Joseph Banks noticed these dies, while
they were still in Milton’s possession and remarking upon their resemblance to official silver coin 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. 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.
