Eloy Mestrelle
Eloy Mestrelle, first name sometimes spelled Eloye (died 1578), was a French moneyer who was responsible for introducing milled coinage to England.
Eloy Mestrelle was born in Paris and by the late 1550s was employed by the French Mint. He left France in 1559 with his family, including a kinsman, Philip, and settled in London. The reason for his departure is unknown, but it has been suggested it was because he was out of favour with his superiors. It is also possible he had participated in counterfeiting and needed to leave Paris in a hurry. This suggestion is reinforced by a pardon granted by Elizabeth I on 24 March 1561 "for all treasons, felonies and offences committed before 1 March 1. Eliz. (1559) in respect of clipping or counterfeiting coin".
Mestrelle offered his services to the English court, and he was authorised by Elizabeth to set up the first coin press in England. Machine-struck, or milled, coinage was hitherto unknown in England, as all previously produced coins had been hammered. By June 1560 he was beginning to assemble the material needed for his machinery, and soon started working at the Tower Mint with the mint official William Blunt to produce coins which met all the necessary standards. Mestrelle's machinery began producing coins sometime after 8 November 1560, initially producing shillings, groats and half groats. During 1561 a number of gold half-pounds and crowns were also minted, though it is not clear whether these were pattern coins or coins minted for circulation, but it has been suggested these coins were minted in conjunction with the queen's visit to the mint.
On 24 October 1561 the traditional Trial of the Pyx took place, and it was decided to drop the old silver denominations in favour of new 6d, 3d, 1 1⁄2d and 3⁄4d coins. The new coinage was proclaimed on 15 November 1561, and Mestrelle was awarded an annual pension of £25, a sign of royal favour. The following eighteen months was Mestrelle's most productive period at the Tower mint, producing hundreds of thousands of silver coins, especially sixpences, which accounted for over three-quarters of his output. Other coinage produced in this period are silver threepences, three-farthings pieces, and a small number of gold coinage composed of half-pounds, crowns and halfcrowns.
...
Wikipedia