Description:This silver medal was produced by Edward Thomason to commemorate the death of Matthew Boulton. Thomason, by then one of Birmingham's leading metalware manufacturers had served his apprenticeship at Boulton's Soho Manufactory.
He was anxious to produce a high quality medal which would reflect Boulton's importance. It was engraved by Peter Wyon based on a wax model of Boulton by Peter Rouw. Thomason wrote in his 1845 memoir "It was the deepest cut die then extant, and upwards of four inches in diameter, supposed to be the largest medal in Europe, and of the highest relief." There was later some argument about the claim to be the largest medal in Europe but it is undoubtedly a major technical achievement and was exhibited at the Royal Society.
Most of the medals were struck in bronze - only two examples were recorded as being struck in silver. This one is on display at Soho House Museum.