Samuel Beaven was the only token issuer in the town of Invercargill, in New Zealand's Otago Province. Beaven had a farm outside the town in 1859, and in 1861 he opened an Ironmongery store in a three storey building on Dee Street. Beaven sold his business to a man by the name of Hall-Jones in 1866 and then moved to Fiji. Numismatists Williams and Sutherland, in their biographical sketch about him, suggest that the reason for the rarity of his tokens might be that when he sold his business, Beaven melted down the tokens that he had not distributed.

During his time in Invercargill, Beaven was both successful and involved in public life. He was a member of the Provincial Council, donated a site for a church, and was involved in a failed land scheme at Stewart Island.

References:
Williams, H. G., & Sutherland, A. (1950). 'Otago Currency Token Issuers', The New Zealand Numismatic Journal, Vol.6, No.1, March, pp.19-20.

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