du SIMITIèRE, Pierre Eugène (1737-1784) Swiss-American sketch artist, portraitist, mapmaker, collector, numismatist, antiquarian, researcher, museum founder.
Born Geneva, Switzerland, 18 September 1737.
Arrived in New York 1763, naturalized citizen 1769.
Lived in Philadelphia. Traveled widely (including West Indies and Vermont to South Carolina)
and gathered natural history specimens, Revolutionary War ephemera and literature (part went
to Library Company of Philadelphia). Gillingham (Harold E.) states Simitière gathered coins as a
systematic collection as early as 1763, thus was one of the first numismatists in America.
Simitière designed a medal in honor of George Washington commissioned by the United States
Congress (obverse only). It was never issued (one by Pierre Simon Duvivier was engraved in its
place and struck by the Paris Mint, see Julian MI-1). Simitière's design was similar in that it showed
General Washington overlooking Boston harbor (in contrast to Duvirier's equestrian Washington in
a more military scene, and called "Washington Before Boston"). Simitière's sketch still survives in the
collection of the Library Company of Philadelphia.
Died Philadelphia, October 1784.
M E D A L S
1776 Washington (George) Revolutionay War Medal (obverse
designed by Simitière but never struck). . . . Betts 550
Illustrated: N36 {1998} Bowers, Am Numismatics, p. . 19
1797 Washington General Grand Master Masonic Medal (dies
attributed to Peter Getz from a sketch of Washington
by Pierre Eugène du Simitière, drawn from life on
1 February 1779) . . . . . . . . . Marvin 264, Baker 288
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 48:321, PCA 56:189
Illustrated: M57 {2007} Jaeger-Bowers, 100 Greatest #45
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 104, 461.
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 199.
E12 {1976} Patterson and Dougall, passim.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1889} Potts (William J.) Du Simitière, Artist, Antiquary and Naturalist, Projector
of the First American Museum, The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and
Biography 13:341-375.
M4 {1894} Betts 550, p 248.
P2 {1934} Gillingham (Harold Edgar) An Eighteenth Century Coin Collection. The
Numismatist 47:11 (November 1934) p 723-724.
Pn {1985} Barnsley (Edward R.) The First American Coin Collector, Pierre Eugene Du
Simidère. Colonial Newsletter 25:2 (October 1985) p 916-917
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 288E, p 138.
Pn {1988} Obojski (Robert) Superb Books, Old and New. Rare Coin Review 70:
(Autumn 1988) p 95-96 (calls Simitière "founding father" of U.S. numismatics
quoting John H. Hickcox).
101 {1988} Orosz (Joel L.) The Eagle That Is Forgotten: Pierre Eugene Du Simitiere,
Founding Father of American Numismatics. Wolfeboro, NH: Bowers and Merena
Galleries. (1988) 75 pages.
N31 {1992} Smith. American Numismatic Biographies, p 77.
N33 {1998} Bowers (1776 Medal design) p 19-21.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:991.
M57 {2007} Jaeger (Katherine) and Bowers (Q. David) 100 Greatest American Medals
and Tokens. 1797 Wasington General Grand Maser Masonic Medal listed as #45,
p 56 without mentioning du Simidère.
Born Geneva, Switzerland, 18 September 1737.
Arrived in New York 1763, naturalized citizen 1769.
Lived in Philadelphia. Traveled widely (including West Indies and Vermont to South Carolina)
and gathered natural history specimens, Revolutionary War ephemera and literature (part went
to Library Company of Philadelphia). Gillingham (Harold E.) states Simitière gathered coins as a
systematic collection as early as 1763, thus was one of the first numismatists in America.
Simitière designed a medal in honor of George Washington commissioned by the United States
Congress (obverse only). It was never issued (one by Pierre Simon Duvivier was engraved in its
place and struck by the Paris Mint, see Julian MI-1). Simitière's design was similar in that it showed
General Washington overlooking Boston harbor (in contrast to Duvirier's equestrian Washington in
a more military scene, and called "Washington Before Boston"). Simitière's sketch still survives in the
collection of the Library Company of Philadelphia.
Died Philadelphia, October 1784.
M E D A L S
1776 Washington (George) Revolutionay War Medal (obverse
designed by Simitière but never struck). . . . Betts 550
Illustrated: N36 {1998} Bowers, Am Numismatics, p. . 19
1797 Washington General Grand Master Masonic Medal (dies
attributed to Peter Getz from a sketch of Washington
by Pierre Eugène du Simitière, drawn from life on
1 February 1779) . . . . . . . . . Marvin 264, Baker 288
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 48:321, PCA 56:189
Illustrated: M57 {2007} Jaeger-Bowers, 100 Greatest #45
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 104, 461.
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 199.
E12 {1976} Patterson and Dougall, passim.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1889} Potts (William J.) Du Simitière, Artist, Antiquary and Naturalist, Projector
of the First American Museum, The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and
Biography 13:341-375.
M4 {1894} Betts 550, p 248.
P2 {1934} Gillingham (Harold Edgar) An Eighteenth Century Coin Collection. The
Numismatist 47:11 (November 1934) p 723-724.
Pn {1985} Barnsley (Edward R.) The First American Coin Collector, Pierre Eugene Du
Simidère. Colonial Newsletter 25:2 (October 1985) p 916-917
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 288E, p 138.
Pn {1988} Obojski (Robert) Superb Books, Old and New. Rare Coin Review 70:
(Autumn 1988) p 95-96 (calls Simitière "founding father" of U.S. numismatics
quoting John H. Hickcox).
101 {1988} Orosz (Joel L.) The Eagle That Is Forgotten: Pierre Eugene Du Simitiere,
Founding Father of American Numismatics. Wolfeboro, NH: Bowers and Merena
Galleries. (1988) 75 pages.
N31 {1992} Smith. American Numismatic Biographies, p 77.
N33 {1998} Bowers (1776 Medal design) p 19-21.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:991.
M57 {2007} Jaeger (Katherine) and Bowers (Q. David) 100 Greatest American Medals
and Tokens. 1797 Wasington General Grand Maser Masonic Medal listed as #45,
p 56 without mentioning du Simidère.