Benedetto Pistrucci (1783–1855) was an Italian gem-engraver, medallist
and coin engraver, probably best known for his design of Saint George
and the Dragon for the British sovereign coin. Born in Rome, he became
prominent as a cameo carver. In 1815, he moved to Britain, where he
would live for most of the rest of his life. His talent brought him to
the attention of William Wellesley-Pole, Master of the Mint. Pole
engaged Pistrucci to design new coinage, including the sovereign, which
was first issued in 1817 to mixed reactions. In 1819 he was commissioned
to create the Waterloo Medal, a huge piece some 5.3 inches (130 mm) in
diameter that the British government planned to award to the generals
and national leaders who had defeated Napoleon. He took thirty years to
complete the design, but because of the coin's great size it could not
be struck. After Pistrucci's death, the George and Dragon design was
restored to the sovereign coin, and is still used today.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedetto_Pistrucci>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1835:
Richard Lawrence became the first person to attempt to
assassinate a sitting US president when he failed to kill Andrew Jackson
at the US Capitol (assassination attempt pictured) and was subdued by
the crowd.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lawrence_%28failed_assassin%29>
1939:
In a speech to the Reichstag, German leader Adolf Hitler
threatened the "annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe".
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler%27s_prophecy>
1959:
On the return leg of her maiden voyage, the "unsinkable" Danish
ocean liner Hans Hedtoft hit an iceberg and sank with the loss of all 95
passengers and crew.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Hans_Hedtoft>
1972:
The Troubles: On Bloody Sunday, members of the British
Parachute Regiment shot 26 civil-rights protesters in Derry, Northern
Ireland, killing at least 13 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_%281972%29>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
dehort:
(transitive, rare or obsolete) To dissuade.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dehort>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The moral consciousness of the world must recognize the
importance of removing injustices and well-founded grievances; but at
the same time it must be aroused to the cardinal necessity of honoring
sanctity of treaties, of respecting the rightsand liberties of others,
and of putting an end to acts of international aggression.
--Franklin D. Roosevelt
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt>