George T. Morgan

Other names: George W. Morgan

Born 1845
Died 4 January 1925

Active: 1870 - 1925

Country of birth: England

Country of death: United States

Sculptor, medallist, die-engraver

Born in Bilston, Staffordshire. Morgan studied at the art school in Birmingham and then won a National Scholarship to the National Art Training School at South Kensington where he studied for two years. He then worked for John Pinches between c.1873-75. In 1876 Morgan moved to the USA to take up an appointment as an assistant engraver at the United States Mint in Philadelphia, although he does not seem to have given up his London address until about 1879. He worked under William Barber and then his son, Charles E. Barber who were the chief engravers. Morgan became chief engraver in 1917 and remained at the Mint until his death aged 79.

One of his best known works was the so called 'Bland Dollar' first struck in 1878. Amongst his medals were: 'David Roberts 1796-1864' executed in 1875 for the Art Union Co. of London; 'Thomas Carlyle on his 80th Birthday' engraved by Boehm; and 'Railway Exhibition at Chicago 1883' in conjunction with Barber Henry Bessemer, 1879 (a specimen in gold was presented to HM Edward VII in 1906 and is now in the Royal Collection).

'The Numismatist, February 1925, carried his obituary: 'George T. Morgan, chief engraver for the Philadelphia Mint, died suddenly on January 4 at his home, 6230 McCallum Street, Germantown. He was 79 years old. Despite his advanced years Mr. Morgan had been active until a few days before his death, when he became ill. Prior to that he had been engaged in modeling a series of medals in commemoration of the secretaries of the Treasury of the United States from Alexander Hamilton down. Mr. Morgan had made the models for and engraved medals commemorating the administration of every president since Rutherford B. Hayes. He collaborated with the country's noted sculptors in designing the country's coinage and, to a considerable extent, in adapting such models to use on postage stamps of all denominations. His work made him personally known to all the presidents of recent times. His employment by the United States government in the Philadelphia Mint covered a period of 48 years. The famous Bland silver dollar was one of his coin engravings. His initials appeared on a large proportion of all the coins issued in the last quarter of a century or more by the Mint. Born in Birmingham, England, in 1845, he studied at art schools in that country, and came to Philadelphia to enter the Engraving Department of the Mint. He brought with him the Englishman's love of cricket as a sport and was one of the founders of the old Belmont Cricket Club in West Philadelphia. He retained his interest in the game to the last and was an active member of the Germantown Cricket Club. He was a man of striking physique and his years sat lightly on him. He was a life member of the Philadelphia Academy of the Fine Arts and a member of the Sketch Club. He was for many years a vestryman of Christ Protestant Episcopal Church, Germantown, and superintendent of its Sunday school. He is survived by his widow and three children-Miss Phyllis Morgan, Leonard P. Morgan, who is an electrolytic chemist in the United States Assay Office at New York, and Mrs. C.M. Graham.'

Citing this record

'George T. Morgan', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib4_1202991268, accessed 20 Mar 2023]