Description
Great Britain, Middlesex (London), John Milton (1759-1805, assistant engraver at the Royal Mint, he was removed from his post after admitting to supplying dies for the counterfeiting of Louis d’Or and other foreign gold coins, but his high quality die engraving commissions for the private sector continued from his premises, 3 Rolls Buildings, Fetter Lane), White Metal Penny Trade Token, dated 1800, obverse: figure of Time leading bridled Pegasus, a figure climbing a rock in the distance, MILTON . MEDALIST SEALS . COINS &c. 1800 in exergue, reverse: figure of female seated amidst the clouds, edge plain, diam. 36mm (Dalton & Hamer “The Provincial Token Coinage of the 18th Century” 36).
About very fine but much as made, crudely struck from the usual flawed and uncompleted reverse die, toned, rust marks both sides but retaining some underlying brilliance, very rare, perhaps only 12 struck.
ex Baldwin’s Basement Collection, Baldwin’s Auction 97, September 2015, lot 1571