Summary
Copper One Penny Token, minted by Stokes, Melbourne. Issued by J. Caro & Co, General Ironmongers, Christchurch, circa 1863. J. Caro & Co was established in 1860 in High Street, Christchurch. The founder, J. Caro, sold it to Solomon Nashelski and his nephew in 1864. The business traded as S&H Nashelski until 1876, when it became S. Nashelski. In 1880 it was sold to Edward E. Ashby and L. Bergh, and it became a limited liability company in 1899. The business was still trading in 1950. In addition to trading as ironmongers, advertisements suggest that, in the late nineteenth century, the company was in the building trade, actually constructing buildings as well as selling the fittings for them.
Previous Collections: National Gallery of Victoria
Physical Description
A round copper token (34 mm diameter). The piece features the name, address and business of the issuer: J. Caro & Co. High Street, Christchurch. The reverse features a ploughman at work.
Obverse Description
At centre within a line circle, J. CARO / & CO / HIGH ST. around above and below, GENERAL IRONMONGERS : CHRISTCHURCH :
Reverse Description
A man operating a small animal drawn plough to right, the handles and reins shown; around above, TRADE AND AGRICULTURE; below in small letters the makers name, STOKES MELB
Edge Description
Plain
More Information
-
Collecting Areas
Numismatics & Philately, Sustainable Futures, Working Life & Trades
-
Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 20 Jul 1998
-
Date Issued
circa 1863 AD
-
Issued By
Caro, J. & Co. General Ironmongers, Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand, circa 1863
-
Mint
Stokes (Mint), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1860-1872
-
Previous Collection
Numismatics Collection, National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), pre 1976
-
Inscriptions
Obverse: J. CARO & CO HIGH ST. GENERAL IRONMONGERS CHRISTCHURCH Reverse: TRADE AND AGRICULTURE STOKES MELB
-
Denomination
-
Series
-
Material
Copper
-
Axis
12
-
Classification
-
Category
-
Discipline
-
Type of item
-
Dimensions
34 mm (Outside Diameter), 13.516 g (Weight)
-
Shape
Round
-
References
This is an original token that has circulated. The late strikes were in the nineteenth century as George McArthur had examples and are therefore not part of the c. 1920 restrikes thought to be related to Chitty. Andrews 63 is described as a larger piece, his rubbing in his manuscript show it to have the characteristic die orientation, weak letter H and die crack of the later strikes. It is probably simply a piece struck without a collar.
[Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 62
[Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 39
[Book] Lampard, William H. 1981. Catalogue of New Zealand Coins Tokens Bank Notes., No. 309
[Book] Humberstone, Vaughn. 2010. Merchants Making Money.
-
Keywords
