Coins, Tokens and Historical Medals

10th Anniversary of the Death of Matthew Boulton, 1819, a gilt-copper medal by G.F. Pidgeon after P. Rouw, draped bust right, rev. inventas avi qvi vitam excolvere per artis in wreath, edge patris amicis m.r.b. ciciccccxviiii, 63mm, 101.08g (Pollard, NC 1970, pp.316-18; BHM 976; E 1114). Trifling marks on rims, otherwise extremely fine; in official gilt metal turned shells and extremely rare as such £1,000-£1,500

These medals were struck to the order of Matthew Robinson Boulton (1770-1842), son of Matthew Boulton. Their gestation was lengthy and was detailed by J.G. Pollard in NC 1970; the medal was first mooted in 1811 but the obverse portrait was not finalised until February 1815 and the reverse only completed in August 1817. Nevertheless, it seems that the medal was warmly received and treasured by those favoured with specimens as a gift from M.R. Boulton and the gilding of the interiors of the protective shells, unique among products of the Soho mint, testifies to the importance that was attached to them at the time