Summary

Australia Victoria Melbourne
Thrale & Cross Token Halfpenny, c. 1854
Mint: Kangaroo Office
Previous Collections: George McArthur
Standard References: Andrews 584 = Heyde 253 = Sharples V.173
This was one of the earliest tokens manufactured in Melbourne at the Kangaroo Office mint. The Thrale & Cross obverse die (manufactured in Melbourne from a blank die brought from London) was used with two Kangaroo Office stock reverse dies (manufactured by Taylor in London and shipped to Australia on the Kangaroo) probably in late 1854 to manufacture trade token halfpenny pieces. Reginald Scaife, manager of the Kangaroo Office lived in North Melbourne, it is possible that Thrale & Cross was his personal family grocer. This token features the kangaroo reverse which notes the use of the Kangaroo Office coinuing press by W.J. Taylor at the London 1851 Exhibition.

Physical Description

A copper trade token halfpenny (28 mm diameter) featuring the name address and business of the issuer: Thrale & Cross, Howard St. North Melbourne, family grocer and egg powder store. This token is almost uncirculated. The reverse is a stock Kangaroo Office seated kangaroo with a legend referring to W.J.Taylor at the 1851 London Exhibition.

Obverse Description

The name, address and business of the firm in seven lines, the first and last curved to form a border: . THRALE & CROSS / FAMILY GROCER / & / EGG POWDER / STORE / HOWARD ST NORTH MELBOURNE .

Reverse Description

Kangaroo seated on tail in grassy field facing right, around above, MELBOURNE; in exergue in four lines W.J. TAYLOR MEDALLIST TO THE GREAT EXHIBITION 1851. The reverse die from which this token was struck had suffered rusting in the field in the field near the rim at 04.

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

This was one of the earliest tokens manufactured in Melbourne at the Kangaroo Office mint. The Thrale & Cross obverse dire (manufactured in Melbourne from a blank die brought from London) was used with two Kangaroo Office stock reverse dies (manufactured by Taylor in London and shipped to Australia on the Kangaroo) probably in late 1854 to manufacture trade token halfpenny pieces. Reginald Scaife, manager of the Kangaroo Office lived in North Melbourne, it is possible that Thrale & Cross was his personal family grocer. This token features the kangaroo reverse which notes the use of the Kangaroo Office coinuing press by W.J. Taylor at the London 1851 Exhibition.

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