Jean-Pierre Droz

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Jean-Pierre Droz (born April 17, 1746 in La Chaux-de-Fonds , Canton of Neuchâtel , † March 2, 1823 in Paris ) was a Swiss medalist who served as a mint master in England and France. Droz introduced major innovations in minting technology and created well-known coins and medals between 1780 and 1819.

Jean-Pierre Droz studied his craft in Paris, where he attracted attention with a so-called test piece , i.e. a suggestion for a coin : he minted the Ecu de Calonne , which he designed and produced, on a self-constructed minting machine. This construction caught the eye of the British entrepreneur Matthew Boulton , who was currently planning the world's first steam-powered mint , the Soho Mint . Droz had built some innovations in its construction. So he invented ring minting , which made it possible for the first time to produce perfectly round coins with raised edges and inscriptions on the edge. While the French mint rejected these innovations, Boulton immediately adopted the techniques. In addition, he hired Droz as mint master for his new mint in England.

From 1787 Droz created a large number of samples for the Soho Mint, but most of them were not implemented. Only one penny coin for the Bermudas was produced in large numbers in 1793. Droz had left the company as early as 1791 because he was unable to meet Boulton's request to make stamps reproducible. Droz stayed in England until 1799 and during this time created a number of other coins and medals, some of which became very popular.

In 1799 Droz accepted a position as Conservateur des Monnaies et des Médailles at the Central Mint in Paris. In this capacity Droz created some famous medals, for example for the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte, and various coins that also became famous, such as the Napoleonic 20 and 40 franc gold pieces, which he designed together with Pierre Joseph Tiolier .

When his eyesight deteriorated significantly, Droz retired from professional life in 1819. In 1823 he died in his apartment in Paris.

Artist signatures of the Droz coins

( Some signatures with additions)

  • DROZ
  • DR.F.
  • DF
  • IPD
  • ID
  • DROZ F.
  • IPDROZ F.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ L. Forrer: Biographical Dictionary of Medallists . Droz, Jean-Pierre. Volume I. Spink & Son Ltd, London 1904, pp. 618 ff .
  2. ^ L. Forrer: Biographical Dictionary of Medallists . Droz, Jean-Pierre. Volume VII. Spink & Son Ltd, London 1923, pp. 234 f .
personal data
SURNAME Droz, Jean-Pierre
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss medalist and mint master
DATE OF BIRTH April 17, 1746
PLACE OF BIRTH La Chaux-de-Fonds
DATE OF DEATH March 2, 1823
Place of death Paris