Summary
This copper Halfpenny token was minted by W.J. Taylor of London. It is a Henry J. Hall, Halfpenny token, issued in Christchurch, New Zealand, muled with a L. Levy Halfpenny token, issued in Wellington, New Zealand. Taylor retained the dies for both tokens and used them to make mules in the 1880s.
Henry Hall was a grocer, wine and spirit merchant and ran a coffee mill. He arranged for two mints to strike tokens, W.J. Taylor in London, and Stokes in Melbourne. Hall issued nineteen penny token varieties, and three halfpennies. They were very simply designed, with text and no graphic elements.
Born in London, Levy moved to Wellington in 1842 and opened a business importing and manufacturing shoes and grindery (tools for shoemakers and leatherworkers). Levy issued four varieties of tokens, three pennies and one halfpenny, which were issued between 1857 (when the first tokens were issued in New Zealand) and his death in 1880.
Previous Collections: National Gallery of Victoria
Physical Description
A round copper token mule (28 mm diameter). The piece features the name and business of two original token issuers: Henry J. Hall, Christchurch Coffee Mills and Levy's reverse detailing his business, leather and grindery of all descriptions. Both sides give the denomination of Halfpenny. This token has been cleaned and varnished.
Obverse Description
Across centre, HALF / PENNY around, HENRY J. HALL CHRISTCHURCH COFFEE MILLS
Reverse Description
At centre, LEATHER / & GRINDERY / OF ALL / DESCRIPTION / THE TRADE / SUPPLIED; around HALF PENNY TOKEN . PAYABLE AT LEVY'S LAMBTON QUAY .
Edge Description
Plain
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 20 Jul 1998
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Date Issued
circa 1880 AD
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Issued By
Henry J Hall - Christchurch Coffee Mills, Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand, circa 1880
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Mint
W.J.Taylor, Mint, London, England, Great Britain, circa 1880
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Organisation Named
Henry J Hall - Christchurch Coffee Mills, Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand, circa 1880
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Organisation Named
Lipman Levy, Wellington, North Island, New Zealand, circa 1880
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Previous Collection
Numismatics Collection, National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), pre 1976
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Inscriptions
Obverse: HENRY J. HALL CHRISTCHURCH COFFEE MILLS HALF PENNY Reverse: LEATHER & GRINDERY OF ALL DESCRIPTION THE TRADE SUPPLIED HALF PENNY TOKEN PAYABLE AT LEVY'S LAMBTON QUAY
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Denomination
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Series
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Material
Copper
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Axis
06
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Dimensions
28 mm (Outside Diameter), 8.28 g (Weight)
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Shape
Round
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References
Although Hall employed two mints to strike his penny tokens, W.J. Taylor and Stokes. Only Taylor struck the halfpenny denomination. He later, c. 1880, used the Hall halfpenny die with dies of Dease and Livy to make mules. Die identification is the basis of standard references and the museum storage system and for the halfpenny is straightforward. Obverse Other A HALF PENNY at centre Reverse Other 1 H.J. HALL at centre 2 LEATHER & GRINDERY at centre 3 E.F. DEASE at centre The following die combinations have been recorded: Original strikes: A/1 Late strikes: A/2 (this token), 1/3
[Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 162
[Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., Related to No. 32
[Book] Lampard, William H. 1981. Catalogue of New Zealand Coins Tokens Bank Notes., No. 322a
[Book] Humberstone, Vaughn. 2010. Merchants Making Money.
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Keywords
Coffee, Grindery Retailers, Grocers, Leather Industry, Leatherworking, Mule Tokens, Retail Trade, Retailing
