Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by Thomas Stokes, Melbourne, 1862. Issued by J. Hosie, The Scotch Pie, Melbourne. James Hosie came to Melbourne in 1853 from Leith, Scotland. Hosie initially worked as a shoemaker, in Melbourne at the Western Markets and at the gold fields at Mount Blackwood. He returned to Melbourne and opened a shop, his father opened a pie shop next door and his success led James to follow suit. He was successful enough to move to better premises and then open both a hotel (the Baths Hotel) and Hosie's Baths, which were both successful businesses. Hosie invested heavily in land speculation at places such as Apollo Bay and Altona Bay. Unfortunately the boom burst and he had to go back to the mainspring of his wealth: selling pies. His last shop was in Little Collins Street. He died on March 30 1900, having made and lost a fortune, still running his pie shop.

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) giving the name address and business of the issuer: J. Hosie, The Scotch Pie Shop, 10 & 12 Bourke St. East, Melbourne. On the reverse at centre within a line circle a piece of grape vine with eleven large leaves and two bunches of grapes, below, but still within the line circle the manufacturers name T. STOKES MAKER MEL.; around above, VICTORIA . 1862, around below the Latin IN VINO VERITAS. Border of 116 beads.

Obverse Description

At centre within a line circle, J. HOSIE /-10 & 12-/ BOURKE ST. / EAST with a thistle under the name; around THE SCOTCH PIE SHOP : MELBOURNE :

Reverse Description

At centre within a line circle a piece of grape vine with eleven large leaves and two bunches of grapes, below, but still within the line circle the manufacturers name T. STOKES MAKER MEL.; around above, VICTORIA . 1862, around below the Latin IN VINO VERITAS. Border of 116 beads. This is a Stokes stock reverse, used for many trade token issuers. It is numbered in the standard catalogues as: Sharples Vine 3 = Heyde Vine 3 = Andrews 7.

Edge Description

Plain

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