Summary

Copper Halfpenny Token, minted by the Kangaroo Office in Melbourne, in 1854. It was issued by James Nokes, a Wholesale and Retail Grocer, to commemorate the arrival of Sir Charles Hotham in Melbourne on 22 June 1854. Soon after issuing his tokens Nokes experienced monetary problems, and sold his grocery firm to T.W. Thomas & Co. who also issued halfpenny tokens employing the Hotham commemorative reverse.

The tokens were struck by Reginald Scaife at the Kangaroo Office, with dies prepared in Melbourne using steel die banks brought from England, on copper halfpenny blanks. The commemorative reverse die has survived and is in the museum collection NU 35977. Nokes also issued another token which was struck with a stock seated Australia reverse.

Physical Description

A round copper token (28 mm diameter) giving the name address and business of the issuer: James Nokes, Melbourne, grocer and on the reverse commemorating the arrival of Sir Charles Hotham on 22 June 1854.

Obverse Description

Legend in 3 lines (the first and last curved): JAMES NOKES / GROCER / MELBOURNE

Reverse Description

At the centre, SIR / CHARLES / HOTHAM / 22D JUNE / 1854 around, IN COMMEMORATION OF THE LANDING OF *

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Eugene von Guerard Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Eugene von Guerard, 15 Mar 1976

  • Date Issued

    1854 AD

  • Issued By

    James Nokes - James Nokes, Wholesale and Retail Grocer, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1854

  • Mint

    Kangaroo Office (Mint), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1854

  • Previous Collection

    Eugene von Guerard, pre 1880

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: JAMES NOKES GROCER MELBOURNE Reverse: IN COMMEMORATION OF THE LANDING OF SIR CHARLES HOTHAM 22D JUNE 1854

  • Denomination

    Halfpenny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    06

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - victoria, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    27 mm (Outside Diameter), 7.545 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    -The Argus. 27 October 1856; -Melbourne Commercial, Professional and Legal Directories, 1850 - 1856; -Sands and Kenny Commercial and General Melbourne Directory 1857 ; Gardner, F.. "Trade tokens and the firms who issued them." The Australian Storekeepers and Traders Journal. 31 March 1913: p. 11; -Sharples, J.. "Catalogue of Victorian Trade Tokens." Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia. Vol. 7. December 1993: p. 53; -Hope, John. Nokes, James. Unpublished MSS. 2005: 1pp. This issue was struck by Reginald Scaife at the Kangaroo Office. The dies were prepared in Melbourne using steel die banks brought from England and struck on copper halfpenny blanks also brought out on the Kangaroo. The commemorative reverse die has survived and is in the mueum collection NU 35977. Nokes sold his grocery firm to T.W. Thomas & Co. who also issued halfpenny tokens employing the Hotham commemorative reverse. The second form of Nokes token was struck with a stock seated Australia reverse. Three of these dies are in the museum collection.
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 406
    [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. 119
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 196
    [Catalogue] Pullin, Ruth. 2011. Nature Revealed: Eugene von Guerard.

  • Keywords

    Gold, Grocers, Retail Trade, Retailing