DROZ, Jean Pierre  (1743-1823) Swiss die engraver,
           medalist. Mintworker Paris, Birmingham.
           Born Chaux-de-Fond, Switzerland, 17 April 1743.
           Credited with rare talents of die engraving but also
           of great mechanical ability, inventing the segmented
           collar at the Paris Mint, and (with Philippe Gengembre)
           the first successful coining press feeding mechanism.

           Droz was staff engraver at Paris Mint when he was
           hired away for Boulton and Watt's Soho Mint. Breen
           states while in Birmingham Droz was offered the
           position to establish a mint in U.S., he refussed,
           ultimately to return to France. Boulton and Watt's
           biographer, Samuel Smiles, in Lives of Boulton
           and Watt, tells of Droz "troublesome disposition"
           while at the Soho Mint (p 396-397).

           Died Paris, 2 March 1823.

           B I O G R A P I C A L  R E F E R E N C E S

BE  {1943} Webster's Biographical Dictionary, p 441.

           N U M I S M A T I C   R E F E R E N C E S

E3  {1902-30} Forrer 1:618-628, 7: 234-235.
A15 {1971} Vermeule, p 27.
O9  {1977} Paris Mint Catalogue, 1:358, 2:291.
M45{1987} Eimer (Christopher)  British Commemorative Medals and Their Values. 
           Second edition. London: Spink (2010) [7 items] p 303.
O12 {1988} Breen, 152, 390, 711.
N31 {1992} Smith. American Numismatic Biographies, p 74 (states name spelled
           "Drost" in early documents).
N36 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p 134.