Summary
Copper One Penny Token, mint unknown. Issued by Mason & Culley, General Stores, Williamstown, Victoria, circa 1855. Sharples notes that 'This token type is a pattern for an issue which was never placed into circulation' (Sharples, 1993). It is not until 1857 that Mason & Culley are listed in Melbourne Directories. In that year Mason was listed as a general dealer, and Culley as a clothier and draper, both in Nelson's Parade, Williamstown. Both men continued their businesses in Williamstown into the 1860s.
Physical Description
A round copper token (34 mm diameter). The token features the name, business and town of the issuer: Mason & Culley General Stores Williamstown. The reverse features Britannia seated facing right wearing a plumed Corinthian helmet and resting a trident against her right shoulder. Leaning behind her is an oval shield decorated with the Union Jack. She extends a pair of balanced scales with her left hand; above, VICTORIA
Obverse Description
Across center within line circle in two lines, MASON / & / CULLEY around above, GENERAL STORES, around below, WILLIAMSTOWN
Reverse Description
Britannia seated facing right wearing a plumed Corinthian helmet and resting a trident against her right shoulder. Leaning behind her is an oval shield decorated with the Union Jack. She extends a pair of balanced scales with her left hand; above, VICTORIA
Edge Description
Plain
More Information
-
Collecting Areas
-
Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 15 Mar 1976
-
Date Issued
circa 1855 AD
-
Issued By
Mason & Culley, Williamstown, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
-
Commissioned By
Mason & Culley, Williamstown, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1855
-
Previous Collection
-
Inscriptions
Obverse: MASON & CULLEY GENERAL STORES WILLIAMSTOWN Reverse: VICTORIA
-
Denomination
-
Series
-
Material
Copper
-
Axis
12
-
Classification
-
Category
-
Discipline
-
Type of item
-
Dimensions
34 mm (Outside Diameter), 15.983 g (Weight)
-
Shape
Round
-
References
Sharples, J., 'Catalogue of Victorian Trade Tokens,' in Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia, Vol. 7, December 1993, p.77. Hope, John. Mason & Culley. Unpublished MSS. 2005: 3 pps. Noble Numismatics Cat. Sale 96 5-8 April 2011 p. 71 Lot 920: notes from AH Baldwin's notebook. "The above piece is of the utmost rarity. The writer has a letter from Mr. Mason in which he states that the ship was wrecked on the voyage out and that he never received any tokens, so the one or two that are kmnown must be odd pieces retained by the makers or their workmen." Alfred Chitty Collection Catalogue 1923, p. 105,
[Article] Sharples, John P. 1993. A Catalogue of the Trade Tokens of Victoria 1848 to 1862. Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia. vol.7: p.1-77., VP. 3
[Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., Rel No. 53
[Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 353
-
Keywords