Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Milton, John (d.1805)

by Warwick William Wroth

MILTON, JOHN (d. 1805), medallist, worked from about 1760 to 1802. He was an assistant engraver at the Royal Mint from 1789 to 1798, and was also medallist to the Prince of Wales (George IV). He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1785 to 1802. At the close of the eighteenth century he executed the dies of the following provincial tokens, all of which are creditable works of their kind: Anglesey penny (Pye, Provincial Copper Coins, pl. 28, 3); Hackney penny, 1795, with a view of Hackney Church, made for Mr. D. A. Rebello, a coin collector (ib. pl. 34, 1); Richardson's lottery tokens, London (Sharp, Chetwynd Coll. p. 68); Ipswich penny (ib. p. 89); Wroxham (Norfolk) 3d. token, 1797 (ib. p. 3). He also made the Isle of Man penny, 1786 (ib. p. 240); the Barbados penny and halfpenny (Pye, pl. 19, 2, 4; Sharp, p. 242), and the set of Scottish patterns, with the head of Prince George (IV), executed for Colonel Fullerton in 1799 (Crowther, Engl. Pattern Coins, p. 46). Milton's medals are not numerous or important. The following may be mentioned: Matthew Prior (bust only), probably an early work (Hawkins,Med. Illustr. ii. 456); Winchester College prize medal (ib. i. 11); John Hunter and George Fordyce (Cochran-Patrick, Catal. of Scott. Med. p. 110, pl. xxi. 3; cp. p. 115, No. 46); medal of university of Glasgow (ib. p. 151).

Milton, who was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries 24 May 1792, died on 10 Feb. 1805, leaving one son and two daughters. His coins and medals were sold by Leigh & Sotheby 30 May 1805 (cf. Sale Cat.)

His usual signature is J. MILTON. George Valentin Bauert of Altona was his pupil, and made a medal of Walpole in conjunction with him (Hawkins, op. cit. ii. 585-6).

[Works cited above; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; James Conder's Arrangement of Provincial Coins, Tokens, and Medalets; J. Atkins's Coins and Tokens.]

W. W.