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.

Previous collections: Henry S. Smith

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.

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

More Information

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Cultural Gifts Donation from Mr Robert (Bob) Edwards, 1989

  • Date Issued

    1862 AD

  • Issued By

    A Davidson - Grocer, wine & spirit merchant, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1862
    Hotel next door to Stoke's mint - 100 Collins St. East.

  • Mint

    Stokes (Mint), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1862
    Hotel next door to Stoke's mint - 100 Collins St. East.

  • Previous Collection

    Mr Henry S. Smith

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: A.DAVIDSON 112 COLLINS ST. EAST CORNER OF RUSSELL ST. MELBOURNE GROCER WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANT Reverse: VICTORIA 1862 IN VINO VERITAS T. STOKES MAKER MEL

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    10

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - victoria, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    34 mm (Outside Diameter), 16.666 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    A. Davidson owned the hotel next door to Thomas Stokes' mint. He made two issues of penny tokens in 1862 employing the one obverse die but two versions of the Stokes stock vine reverse - Vine 3 (see NU 3657) and Vine 2 (this token). The obverse die was later employed (c. 1920) to make a new type for collectors with the reverse of Stokes stock Arms (see NU 3654) - this is stored with other late strikes by Stokes as it is not a Nineteenth Century trade token, nor an issue commissioned by Davidson. The obverse die is in the museum collection (NU 35752)
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 93
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 54/2
    [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. 56

  • Keywords

    Grocers, Retail Trade, Retailing, Wine & Spirit Merchants