Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Pingo, Lewis
PINGO, LEWIS (1743–1830), medallist, son of Thomas Pingo [q. v.], medallist, was born in 1743. In 1763 he was a member of the Free Society of Artists, and in 1776 was appointed to succeed his father as assistant-engraver at the mint. From 1779 till his superannuation in 1815 he was chief engraver. Pingo engraved the dies for the shillings and sixpences of George III in the issue of 1787 (Hawkins, Silver Coins, p. 411), and the second variety of the Maundy money of George III (ib. p. 416). He also engraved dies for the three-shilling Bank token and for the East India Company's copper coinage (Gent. Mag. 1818, pt. i. p. 180). He made patterns for the guinea, seven-shilling piece (Crowther, English Pattern Coins, p. 36), penny and halfpenny of George III (Montagu, Copper Coins, p. 105). Among Pingo's medals may be noticed: medal of Dr. Richard Mead, struck in 1773 (Hawkins, Medallic Illustr. ii. 675); the Royal Society Copley medal, with bust of Captain J. Cook, 1776; Freemasons' Hall medal, 1780; ‘Defence of Gibraltar,’ 1782 (Cochran-Patrick, Medals of Scotland, p. 108); Christ's Hospital medal, reverse, open bible; medal of William Penn (Hawkins, op. cit., ii. 348). His medals are signed l. p. and l. pingo.
Pingo died at Camberwell on 26 Aug. 1830, aged 87 (Gent. Mag. 1830, pt. ii. p. 283).
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Hawkins's Medallic Illustrations, ed. Franks and Grueber; Ruding's Annals of the Coinage, i. 45.]