Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by Stokes, Melbourne. Issued by A. Davidson, Grocer, Wine & Spirit Merchant, Melbourne, 1862. Archibald Davidson arrived in Melbourne from Girven, Ayrshire, Scotland, in October 1852. He obtained work at the Bank of Australasia in Geelong, but it is believed he then tried his luck on the goldfields. He returned to Melbourne some seven years later, first working as a bookkeeper for David Masterton & Co., before opening a Grocery and Spirit and Wine Merchant's store in Collins Street in 1860, which he ran until his retirement in 1874. After investing in the Great Extended Hustler's Reef mine at Bendigo in 1870, he made so much in dividends that he could afford to retire. Unfortunately he lost a substantial amount of his wealth in land speculation, even so, Davidson retired a wealthy man.

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) featuring the name, address and business of the issuer: A. Davidson, 112 Collins St. East - corner Russell St. Melbourne, grocer, wine and spirit merchant with a Stokes stock vine leaf reverse with grape vine at centre with nine 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 113 beads. This is a Stokes stock reverse, used for many trade token issuers. It is numbered in the standard catalogues as: Sharples Vine 2 = Heyde Vine 2 = Andrews 1. This token has a drill hole in the obverse (it does not reach the reverse)

Obverse Description

At centre within line circle A.DAVIDSON / 112 / COLLINS ST. EAST / CORNER / OF / RUSSELL ST. / MELBOURNE around outside line circle and within border of 111 beads, GROCER WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANT :

Reverse Description

At centre within a line circle a piece of grape vine with nine 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 113 beads. This is a Stokes stock reverse, used for many trade token issuers. It is numbered in the standard catalogues as: Sharples Vine 2 = Heyde Vine 2 = Andrews 1.

Edge Description

Plain

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