Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by Thomas Stokes, Melbourne. Issued by Jas Davey & Co, Drapers, Grocers & Importers, Gippsland Store, Sale, 1862. James Davey was born in Bristol, England and came to Victoria in 1850, spending a year at a place then called Fiery Creek, now Beaufort, before returning to England. He returned to Victoria in 1857. He soon established a general store 'The Gippsland Mart' in Sale in partnership with a Mr McKenzie. The partnership, was later disposed of and Davey carried on alone. In 1865 he sold the grocery, crockery and ironmongery sections of his business to his brother-in-law, Mr Sprod, and moved the Drapery business next door, it went intoreceivership in late 1866 and closed on 2nd February 1867. But in March Davey found himself able to buy his stock back and re-open the business. In 1867 Davey drowned, in what appeared to be a case of suicide. After his sudden death at the age of 42, his widow, Matilda Davey, carried on the business with indifferent success, until June 1879.

Previous Collections: George McArthur

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) with the name, address and business of the issuer: Jas Davey & Co. Gippsland Store, Foster St., Sale, wholesal & retail draper, grocer and importer. The reverse is a Stokes stock Arms type: Coat of arms consisting of a central shield set on grass covered ground and below Rising Sun. On left a kangaroo seated facing out but head back towards sun (sejant sinister reguardant) and on right emu with similar stance (passant dexter reguardant). Below ground line and set on bouquet of rose, thistles and shamrock, a ribbon with the motto ADVANCE VICTORIA. The shield is quartered by a cross with a star at the centre and at the end of each arm. The cross is not shaded. The quarters contain: top left, a three-masted sailing ship; top right, a golden fleece; bottom left, an anchor; and bottom right, a wheat sheaf. Around above, VICTORIA . 1862 around below in two lines, T. STOKES MAKER / 100 COLLINS ST. EAST MELBOURNE.

Obverse Description

At centre within a line circle in six lines, JAS. DAVEY / & CO. / GIPPSLAND / STORE / FOSTER ST. / SALE; around, WHOLESALE & RETAIL DRAPERS GROCERS & IMPORTERS :

Reverse Description

Coat of arms consisting of a central shield set on grass covered ground and below Rising Sun. On left a kangaroo seated facing out but head back towards sun (sejant sinister reguardant) and on right emu with similar stance (passant dexter reguardant). Below ground line and set on bouquet of rose, thistles and shamrock, a ribbon with the motto ADVANCE VICTORIA. The shield is quartered by a cross with a star at the centre and at the end of each arm. The cross is not shaded. The quarters contain: top left, a three-masted sailing ship; top right, a golden fleece; bottom left, an anchor; and bottom right, a wheat sheaf. Around above, VICTORIA . 1862 around below in two lines, T. STOKES MAKER / 100 COLLINS ST. EAST MELBOURNE. The E of EAST is double entered (initially being placed half a letter height too low) and then T of EAST is below the M of MAKER. The standard references for the die used to make this token are: Andrews 14 = Heyde Arms 6 = Sharples Arms 5.

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

    1862 AD

  • Issued By

    Davey, Jas & Co Gippsland Store, Sale, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, 1862

  • Mint

    Stokes (Mint)

  • Previous Collection

    George McArthur

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: JAS. DAVEY & CO. GIPPSLAND STORE FOSTER ST. SALE WHOLESALE & RETAIL DRAPERS GROCERS & IMPORTERS Reverse: VICTORIA . 1862 ADVANCE VICTORIA T. STOKES MAKER 100 COLLINS ST. EAST MELBOURNE.

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    06

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - victoria, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    34 mm (Outside Diameter), 14.739 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    Brief biography of James Davey by Gardner, F., originally published in The Australian Storekeepers and Traders Journal, c.1910 - 1914, republished in The Australian Coin Review, March 1969, p.17; Gardner, F., 'Trade tokens and the firms who issued them,' The Australian Storekeepers and Traders Journal, 22 December 1911, p. 9 (photocopy); Sharples, J., "Catalogue of Victorian Trade Tokens' in Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia, Vol. 7, December 1993, pp.50 - 51; VPRS 7666, printout from internet Index of Unassisted Immigrants to Victoria, 1852 - 1923; Hope, John, Biography of James Davey. Unpublished MSS. 2005: 2pps. Jas. Davey & Co employed Stokes strike trade tokens in 1862. The obverse was a standard format of the issuers name address and business - only one die was needed. This die (Obverse A) was linked to a stock Arms reverses in 1862 Only one type is recorded for this issuer.
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 90
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 53
    [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. 192

  • Keywords

    Drapers, Grocers, Import Trade, Retail Trade, Retailing, Wholesale Trade