Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by Heaton & Son, Birmingham. Issued by S. Hague Smith, Ironmonger, Auckland, circa 1862. Samuel Hague Smith was born in Lincolnshire in 1840. He arrived in New Zealand in 1859 and established himself as an Ironmonger and shipowner in Auckland. He achieved prominence as a politician, and it has been suggested that Smith's tokens may have been part of his successful campaign for the Newtown seat in the Provincial Council in 1870. Smith fought during the Maori wars and was rewarded with a block of land on Auckland's waterfront at Northcote. He later moved to Sydney, where he became a director of the Colonial Mutual Life Insurance Company. He died in Sydney in 1917. This token commemorated the death of Prince Albert on 14 Dec. 1861.

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter). The token features the name, address and business of the issuer: S. Hague Smith, Auckland, wholesale and retail Ironmonger. The reverse features a profile head of Prince Albert and gives the dates of his birth and death - August 26 1819 to 14 December 1861.

Obverse Description

Legend in five lines with the maker's name between to straight lines: WHOLESALE & RETAIL / IRONMONGER / S. HAGUE SMITH / MERCHANT / AUCKLAND

Reverse Description

Profile head of Albert left, bare, around above PRINCE ALBERT around below BORN AUGT. 26 1819 DIED DECR. 14 1861

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

    circa 1862 AD

  • Issued By

    S Hague Smith - Ironmonger, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, circa 1862

  • Mint

    Stokes (Mint), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1862-1870
    This attribution was made by Andrews p.84, and followed by Lampart p.55, but it seems doubtful Stokes could have cut this portrait in 1862. Probably a British maker was involved in what was a massive issue with seven obverse dies which were hubbed. The latter complication in itself suggests it was not Stokes. - J.S., Dec 2004.

  • Previous Collection

    Mr Alfred Chitty

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: WHOLESALE & RETAIL IRONMONGER S. HAGUE SMITH MERCHANT AUCKLAND Reverse: PRINCE ALBERT BORN AUGT. 26 1819 DIED DECR. 14 1861

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    12

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, New zealand, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    34 mm (Outside Diameter), 14.232 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    The S. Hague Smith issue required seven obverse and three reverse dies for its production. The identification of the dies employed in the production of a particular token are the basis of the standard references and the museum storage system. The dies can be identified as follows: Obverse AUCKLAND W to line A under D under Other A 17.8 mm 2.0 mm M NT Die chipped above RE of RETAIL B 19.5 mm 2.0 mm M T E of IRONMONGER & A of MERCHANT re-entered C 18.0 mm 1.5 mm ME NT D of AUCKLAND re-entered also die cracked under D D 19.3 mm 1.0 mm M NT Edge chipped 08 to 10 E 20.8 mm 1.6 mm M T die cracked E & RETAIL F 19.5 mm 0.8 mm M NT A of AUCKLAND RE-ENTERED edge chipped 06 & 08 G ? ? M T Reported by George Dean further details needed Reverse After 1819 P of PRINCE to B of BORN
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 474
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 224/6
    [Book] Lampard, William H. 1981. Catalogue of New Zealand Coins Tokens Bank Notes., No. 341c
    [Book] Humberstone, Vaughn. 2010. Merchants Making Money.

  • Keywords

    Ironmongers, Queen Victoria