Note 40 — GUIDE TO ENGLISH MEDALS EXHIBITED. (continued 3)

Benedetto Pistrucci, born at Rome 1784 of good family, his father being Judge of the High Criminal Court at Rome, began at the early age of twelve to study the art of gem and cameo cutting, and acquired such proficiency that before he was sixteen his works were often disposed of by dealers as antiques. In 1815 Pistrucci came to England, and two years later, upon the death of T. Wyon, was appointed Chief Engraver to the Mint, being immediately engaged on the new silver and gold coinage, having for the reverse type the St. George and Dragon. For some time after the accession of George IV., Pistrucci was engaged on a coinage for the new reign, which, having finished, he was promoted in 1828 to the post of Chief Medallist to the Mint, W. Wyon being appointed his successor as Chief Engraver. From this period till 1849 Pistrucci was engaged on the dies of the Waterloo medal, occasionally relieving the monotony of the work by the production of a large number of gems and medals, among the latter being the Coronation Medal of Victoria, a medal of the Duke of Wellington, one for the Royal Humane Society, &c. &c. He died in 1855.