Summary

Copper One Penny Token minted by Heaton & Sons, Birmingham. Issued by H. Ashton, Haberdashery, Auckland, 1863. Ashton was a haberdasher and tailor and issued halfpenny and penny tokens between 1858 and 1863.

Previous Collections: George McArthur

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) featuring the name, address and buisness that issued the tokens: H. Ashton, Queen St., Auckland Haberdashery, tailor and trimmer. The reverse depicts a female figure representing Justice standing facing left. She wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground among the fruit the letter G. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm is draped to near the elbow while drapery falls from her extended arm to below the horizon line behind; around above, NEW ZEALAND in exergue, 1863. A three-masted sailing ship on horizon at left of token.

Obverse Description

Legend in eight lines: H.ASHTON / IMPORTER / OF / HABERDASHERY / & / TAILORS / TRIMMINGS / QUEEN ST. AUCKLAND

Reverse Description

Justice standing facing left. She wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground among the fruit the letter G. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm is draped to near the elbow while drapery falls from her extended arm to below the horizon line behind; around above, NEW ZEALAND. A three-masted sailing ship on horizon at left of token, in exergue, 1863

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    McArthur Bequest

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), George McArthur, 15 Mar 1976

  • Date Issued

    1863 AD

  • Issued By

    H Ashton - Haberdashery, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, 1863

  • Mint

    Heaton & Sons (Mint), Birmingham, England, Great Britain, 1863

  • Previous Collection

    George McArthur

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: H.ASHTON/IMPORTER/OF/HABERDASHERY/&/TAILORS/ TRIMMINGS/QUEEN ST. AUCKLAND Reverse: NEW ZEALAND 1863

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    12

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, New zealand, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    34 mm (Outside Diameter), 14.179 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    The issue of H. Ashton token pennies in 1862 and 1863 required three obverse and two reverse dies. Identification of the obverse dies is by variation in the exact size and relative position of lettering: Obverse TRIMMINGS TAILORS Other C 19.3 mm 14.0 mm Cracked from rim 10 to 1st E of HABERDASHERY D 18.5 mm 13.7 mm letters in TAYLOR 2.0 mm high E 19.5 mm 15.5 mm letters in TAYLOR 2.5 mm high The reverse dies are differentiated by their date Reverse Date 3 1862 4 1863
    [Thesis] Lugton, Mary E. 1989. George McArthur of Maldon: his Life and his Book Collection.
    [Catalogue] Morrison, Ian. 2003. The Baker of Maldon.
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 22
    [Book] Lampard, William H. 1981. Catalogue of New Zealand Coins Tokens Bank Notes., No. 303c
    [Book] Humberstone, Vaughn. 2010. Merchants Making Money.

  • Keywords

    Haberdashery, Import Trade, Tailors