Summary

Copper one Penny token, a late strike, minted by Thomas Stokes of Melbourne. Commissioned by James Dixon, owner of a General Store in Wangaratta, Victoria. This token is a late-strike. Andrews notes that no original tokens struck for Dixon are known and that 'Dixon was unfortunate in business, and very soon after Stokes completed his order had to close down, and it is doubtful whether they ever circulated.'

A Canadian by birth, Dixon arrived in Melbourne in 1851. In approximately 1860 he opened a general store in Wangaratta. He had previously owned a cartage business, which operated out of Melbourne. Although Dixon may have suffered a business crisis around 1862, he is listed of the propreitor of a General Store in Ryley Street, Wangaratta, in Butler & Brookes' 1866-1867 Victorian Directory.

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter). The token features the name, town and business of the person who commissioned the die from stokes: James Dixon, Wangaratta, general storekeeper. The reverse is a stock Vine die from Stokes.

Obverse Description

Legend in four lines: JAMES DIXON/ GENERAL / STOREKEEPER / WANGARATTA

Reverse Description

At centre within a line circle a piece of grape vine with ten large and four small leaves and two bunches of grapes; around above, VICTORIA 1862, around below the Latin IN VINO VERITAS. Border of 111 beads. This is a Stokes stock reverse, used for many trade token issuers. It is numbered in the standard catalogues as: Sharples Vine 6 = Heyde Vine 6 = Andrews 5.

Edge Description

Plain

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