Matthew Boulton and the Art of Making Money

by Kathryn Hadley

Amongst the various anniversaries being celebrated this year is the bicentenary of the death of the British industrialist, Matthew Boulton (1728-1809).
Boulton was the first to introduce the steam-powered mint in his Soho Manufactory, built in 1762, and is often considered the founder of modern coinage. From 1775 onwards, he worked in partnership with the Scottish engineer James Watt. In 1797, he was granted a Royal Mint contract to strike copper coinage at Soho and Boulton & Watt steam engines and minting machinery were exported worldwide for the first time.
To mark the anniversary, 'Matthew Boulton and the Art of Making Money' opens today at The Barber Institute of Fine Arts. The exhibition features over 140 coins, tokens and medals produced by Boulton’s team during his lifetime and explores the art of making money from a variety of perspectives, including mechanical art, fine art and the art of making a profit.

For a programme of the various events organised throughout the year, a biography of Matthew Boulton, picture gallery, bibliography and links to websites containing information on Boulton and archive collections featuring Boulton-related material, visit www.matthewboulton2009.org

For further information on Matthew Boulton and his efforts to reform the coinage system and to fight against counterfeiters in the Midlands, read our article The Birmingham Coiners, 1770-1816

Matthew Boulton and the Art of Making Money
Until May 16th, 2010
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TS
Telephone: 0121 414 7333
www.barber.org.uk