George William De Saulles was born on 4 February 1862 in Birmingham. He studied at the Birmingham School of Art and was apprenticed to Mr. Wilcox, a Birmingham die-sinker. De Saulles moved to London in 1884 to work with John H. Pinches, medallist and die-engraver, who was then in Oxenden Street, Haymarket. In 1888 he returned to Birmingham to work with Joseph Moore.

In 1892 De Saulles was employed at the Royal Mint succeeding L.C. Wyon. His work there included preparing the master tools and dies, to the design of Thomas Brock, for the issue of the 1893 coinage, the Veiled Head Jubilee coinage in silver and gold for Queen Victoria. He later designed and executed the coinage for Edward VII issued in 1902.

In January 1893 he was gazetted Engraver to the Mint. From then until his death he was worked on the production of dies for English and Colonial coins and official medals.

It has been noted that he was to some degree influenced by the French school of Oscar Roty and Chaplain in his work.

He was engaged in the preparation of the new seal of Edward VII when he died on 21 July 1903.

References
J.H. Pinches, Numismatic Chronicle, 1903, pp.311-313
Hocking, Catalogue of Coins in Royal Mint 2 vols. 1906-10
Forrer, L., Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, 1904
Annual Reports of Deputy-Master of the Mint

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