Summary

Bronze One Penny Token, minted by W.J. Taylor, London. Issued by S. Beaven, Ironmonger, Invercargill, New Zealand, 1863. Samuel Beaven was the only token issuer in the town of Invercargill. He had a farm outside the town in 1859, and in 1861 opened an Ironmongery store. Beaven sold his business to a man by the name of Hall-Jones in 1866 and then moved to Fiji. When Beaven sold his business, he melted down the tokens that he had not distributed. His tokens were made in London using a stock reverse die for Australia - hence the emu, kangaroo and motto ADVANCE AUSTRALIA.

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter). The piece features the name, address and business of the issuer: S. Beaven, ironmonger and general merchant, Invercargill. The reverse was a W.J. Taylor stock die for Australian tokens - a coat of arms consisting of a central shield below a rising sun supported by an emu at left and kangaroo at right all resting on a ribbon with the motto ADVANCE AUSTRALIA. The shield is quartered and contains: upper left - a golden fleece; upper right - a three-masted sailing ship; lower left - a bull standing facing left; lower right an anchor. The surfaces of this token are finely pitted and it has been cleaned.

Obverse Description

Legend in five lines: S. BEAVEN / IRONMONGER / & / MERCHANT / INVERCARGILL N.Z.

Reverse Description

Coat of Arms consisting of a central shield below a Rising Sun supported by an emu at left and kangaroo at right all resting on a ribbon with the motto ADVANCE AUSTRALIA. The shield is quartered and contains: upper left - a golden fleece; upper right - a three-masted sailing ship; lower left - a bull standing facing left; lower right an anchor. Around, PEACE & PLENTY 1863

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Alfred Chitty Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Mr Alfred Chitty, 15 Mar 1976

  • Date Issued

    1863 AD

  • Issued By

    Samuel Beaven - Ironmonger, Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand, 1863

  • Mint

    W.J.Taylor, Mint, London, England, Great Britain, 1863

  • Previous Collection

    Mr Alfred Chitty

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: S. BEAVEN IRONMONGER & MERCHANT INVERCARGILL N.Z. Reverse: PEACE & PLENTY 1863 ADVANCE AUSTRALIA

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Bronze

  • Axis

    12

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, New zealand, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    31 mm (Outside Diameter), 8.93 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    -Williams, H. G., & Sutherland, A.. 'Otago Currency Token Issuers.' The New Zealand Numismatic Journal. Vol. 6 No. 1. March 1950: pp.19 - 20. This is based on the stock reverse die, Australian arms with Peace & Plenty. However Heaton & Sons, Birmingham suggest involvement with this reverse. They may have prepared the dies for use elsewhere or may even have struck the tokens. Sweeny pp. 240 - 245
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 42
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 24
    [Book] Lampard, William H. 1981. Catalogue of New Zealand Coins Tokens Bank Notes., No. 307
    [Book] Humberstone, Vaughn. 2010. Merchants Making Money.

  • Keywords

    Ironmongers