John Croker

JOHN CROKER (1670–1741), formerly Johann Crocker, was a coin-die engraver and medallist and one of the leading artists of the British Royal Mint in the early eighteenth century. He was born in Dresden, Saxony, on 21 October 1670. His medallic signature often appears as “I. C.”

Croker's father was a woodcarver and cabinetmaker in the service of the Saxon court and died while his son was young. Croker trained as a goldsmith and jeweller with his godfather and studied drawing, modelling and medal engraving in his spare time. After working in German cities and the Netherlands, he moved to England in 1691, where he eventually concentrated on medal and die engraving.

In 1697 he was appointed an assistant to Henry Harris, chief engraver at the Royal Mint. Croker carried out substantial work on coinage punches, including those for William III. On 7 April 1705 he was appointed Chief Engraver and held that office until his death in 1741. He created coinage dies and medals under Queen Anne, George I and George II. His medallic work included royal coronations, military events and diplomatic occasions.

Croker worked during Isaac Newton's tenure as Master of the Mint. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, among other institutions, preserves coinage and medallic works attributed to him, including a two-guinea piece of George I dated 1717. Croker's contribution to the coinage represents both portrait modelling and the practical art of cutting punches and dies.

The fourth laureate portrait of George I on the guinea dated 1721 is attributed to Croker. The portrait faces right and is surrounded by an inscription recording the royal titles. The reverse with four crowned shields, sceptres and the Garter star is attributed in coin catalogues to Johann Ochs. These are separate attributions to the two precise designs, not two competing claims of authorship for the whole issue.

Croker died on 21 March 1741 and was succeeded as Chief Engraver by John Sigismund Tanner. His work is an important part of the history of British monetary portraiture and medallic art.