AN IMPROVED MODE OF MAKING MEDALS AND COINS
Year: 1826

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMASON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Goldsmith and
Silversmith, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of His United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Ninth day of November, in
the seventh year of His reign, did give and grant unto me, 'the said Edward
Thomason, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence
that I, the said Edward Thomason, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF MAKING MEDALS AND
COINS;" in which Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the
said Edward Thomason, under my hand and seal, to cause a particular descrip-
tion of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
two calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said recited
Letters Patent contained, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had,
may.more fully and at large appear.
NOW. KNOW YE, that in compliance with and agreeable to the true
intent and meaning of, the said proviso in the said Letters Patent contained;
I, the said Edward Thomason, do hereby declare that the following is a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention in the method,

page_text: modes, and improvements in the making or manufacturing of medals and
coins, both in respect to principle and the way and means by which the same
may be performed, that is to say:-
With respect to principle, I cause the medals and coins, of whatsoever
metal they may be composed of, to have their edges bound or surrounded with
gold or silver, which I denominate or call the patent gold and patent silver
mounted medals, coins, or tokens. Now, I do declare that the above-men-
tioned principle comprehends the real object of Invention; and in order
for the better comprehension and understanding how the aforesaid may be
reduced to practical use, I do hereby further declare that, although I vary the
mode of making by a variation of circumstances to produce the same effects,
and maintain the main purpose intended, that of making medals and coins
with silver or gold edges, yet I principally adhere to the methods herein
described, as being fully answerable to what is required and best calculated
to be understood from the Drawings and descriptions thereof, and the same is
described in five Sections and one Drawing, and the alphabetical letters in the
five Sections refer to their respective parts in the Drawing in the margin
of these Presents.
Section No. 1 is a circular piece of copper plated on both sides with silver,
what is denominated double-plated metal, and, being in a plain state, is
commonly called a blank, the edges of which blank is of a reddish or other
color, in consequence of the whole mass not being of the same material
throughout. Section No. 2 is a thin flat circular form band of silver, whose
inner circumference should be the proper size to fit the outer circumference of
Section No. 1, which silver band is either cut or pierced out by the well-
known methods of piercing out circles, or it is made out of a flat piece of
silver, as Section No. 3, and bent round to fit the circle or edge of blank
No. 1. Section No. 4 is a flat piece of band of gold or silver, and Section
No. 5 is a similar band of gold or silver, but ornamented, figured, or ornamented
with any kind of device, and answers to the same purpose as Section No. 2
and Section No 3. When the edge of the medal, coin, or token is required
to be figured, I take the plain blank or circular piece, Section No. 1, which
may be of plated metal, gold, silver, or any other metal or composition of
I attach
metals, of the proper thickness required for a medal, coin, or token.
to this blank, by the well-known method of soldering, either of the silver or
gold bands, Section No. 2, Section No. 3, Section No. 4, or Section No. 5,
and which bands are of any width or thickness required. The band is
attached to or fixed around the medal, coin, or token, either before the medal,
coin, or token is began to be pressed or stamped, or in a more advanced stage

page_text: of the process or processes in making the medal, coin, or token, as circum-
stances may require. These medals, coins, or tokens are pressed or stamped by
the well-known and accustomed process of pressing or stamping medals, coins,
and tokens. And I hereby further declare, that I make the gold or silver
bands of Section No. 2, Section No. 3, Section No. 4, and Section No. 5, of
any thickness or width, and, consequently, the center part of the said medals,
coins, or tokens may be of any degree of thickness and width, varying the
medals at the edge and center, as may be found expedient.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomason, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.