Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by Heaton & Sons, Birmingham. Issued by Moubray, Lush & Co, Drapers, Melbourne, circa 1855. The firm was founded in 1853 by Thomas Moubray and Joseph Lush. According to Gardner, in 1866 three new partners were admitted to the firm: Christopher Rowan, J.W. Shanklin and Robert Hicks. Lush died in 1870, in 1876 Shanklin retired, in 1878 G.W. Atkinson joined the firm, and its name became Moubray, Rowan and Hicks. Atkinson soon moved to England to manage the London branch of the business, but his health declined and he retired. About that time the business moved to 350 Collins Street, where it still stood in 1910. Moubray died on 25 September 1891. At his death Moubray's share was purchased by Hicks and Atkinson, along with that of Rowan, and they then brought in their sons and relations as partners. In 1910 the firm was trading under the name Hicks, Atkinson and Sons.

Previous Collections: George McArthur

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) giving the name address and business of the issuer: Moubray, Lush & Co., Melbourne, drapers. The reverse features 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, AUSTRALIA. A three-masted sailing ship on horizon at left of token. T

Obverse Description

Legend in 4 lines: MOUBRAY LUSH / & Co. / DRAPERS / MELBOURNE

Reverse Description

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, AUSTRALIA. A three-masted sailing ship on horizon at left of token

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

    circa 1855 AD

  • Issued By

    Moubray, Lush & Co, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1852-1862

  • Mint

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

  • Previous Collection

    George McArthur

  • Inscriptions

    Plain (edge) Legend in 4 lines: MOUBRAY LUSH / & Co. / DRAPERS / MELBOURNE (obverse) Justice standing blindfolded on beach extending balanced scales in right hand and emptying inverted cornucopia in left; above, AUSTRALIA; sailing ship on horizon below scales(reverse)

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    12

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - victoria, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    0.34 mm (Outside Diameter), 14.443 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    Gardner, F. 'Trade tokens and the firms that issued them: Moubray, Lush & Co.,' in The Australian Storekeepers and Traders Journal, 31 May 1910, p.9; Sharples, J., 'Catalogue of Victorian Trade Tokens', Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia, Vol. 7, December 1993, pp.51 - 52; Australian Dictonary of Biography, Volume 5, pp.304 - 305. This reverse die was also used to strike one of the Geelong, Parker issues, V.36. Sharples JNAA.7 p.51.
    [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. 391
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 188
    [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., V. 116

  • Keywords

    Drapers, Retail Trade, Retailing