Summary

Bronze One Penny Token, minted by an unknown British mint. Issued by Kirkcaldie & Stains, Wellington, New Zealand, circa 1875. The business was founded by Englishman John Kirkaldie, who had been apprenticed as a draper; and Scot Robert Stains, who had a retail trade background. The met in Sydney and decided to pool their capital to establish a business in New Zealand. They settled on Wellington as the place, and their first store was the hulk of a wrecked ship, at Lambton Quay. In 1886 Robert Stains returns to England and the partnership was dissolved. The business remained in the hands of the Kirkcaldie family until the 1930s. In 1931 the business was sold to British Overseas Stores, who sold it to the Renouf Corporation (later Hellaby Holdings) in 1985. Kirkcaldie & Stains closed in 2016.

Previous Collections: George McArthur

Physical Description

A round bronze token (31 mm diameter). The piece features the name, address and business of the issuer: Kirkcaldie & Stains, general drapers and outfitters, Wellington. The reverse features a coat of arms with a bearded bust as crest (John Kirkcaldie?).

Obverse Description

Legend in six lines, the first and last curved: KIRKCALDIE & STAINS / GENERAL / DRAPERS / AND / OUTFITTERS / . WELLINGTON .

Reverse Description

Coat of arms with a bearded bust as crest, around, KIRKCALDIE WELLINGTON motto on ribbon, FORTISSIMA VERITAS

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    McArthur Bequest

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), George McArthur, 15 Mar 1976

  • Date Issued

    circa 1875 AD

  • Issued By

    Kirkcaldie & Stains, Wellington, North Island, New Zealand, circa 1875

  • Previous Collection

    George McArthur

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: KIRKCALDIE & STAINS GENERAL DRAPERS AND OUTFITTERS WELLINGTON Reverse: KIRKCALDIE WELLINGTON FORTISSIMA VERITAS

  • 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), 8.794 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    [Link 1] Harper, J., "Kirkcaldie and Stains Ltd.: Cashier saved by Corset" in The New Zealand Numismatic Journal, Vol. 11 No.5, June 1965, p. 17; Advertisement, Bull's Wellington Almanac for 1866, unnumbered pages.
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 311
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 141
    [Book] Lampard, William H. 1981. Catalogue of New Zealand Coins Tokens Bank Notes., No. 327
    [Book] Humberstone, Vaughn. 2010. Merchants Making Money.

  • Keywords

    Drapers, Outfitters