Summary
This copper Halfpenny mule token was minted by W.J. Taylor of London. It is a E. F. Dease Token Halfpenny, issued in Launceston, Tasmania in 1855 muled with a H.J. Hall Token Halfpenny, issued in Christchurch, New Zealand, circa 1875. Taylor retained the dies for both tokens and used them to make mules in the 1880s.
Dease was a wholesale and retail draper in Launceston. He issued token penny and halfpenny pieces, from his store 'The Golden Fleece' in 1855. Henry Hall was a grocer, wine and spirit merchant and ran a coffee mill. He arranged for two mints to strike tokens, W.J. Taylor in London, and Stokes in Melbourne. Hall issued nineteen penny token varieties, and three halfpennies. They were very simply designed, with text and no graphic elements.
Previous Collections: National Gallery of Victoria
Physical Description
A round copper token mule (28 mm diameter). The piece features the name and business of two original token issuers: H. J. Hall, family grocer, wine & spirit Merchant and Dease's reverse detailing his business, wholesale and retail draper. This token has been cleaned and varnished.
Obverse Description
Across centre, H.J. HALL around, FAMILY GROCER WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANT
Reverse Description
Across centre, E.F. DEASE above and below, HALF / PENNY around WHOLESALE & RETAIL DRAPERY WAREHOUSE . BRISBANE ST. .
Edge Description
Plain
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 20 Jul 1998
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Date Issued
circa 1880 AD
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Issued By
Henry J Hall - Christchurch Coffee Mills, Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand, circa 1880
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Mint
W.J.Taylor, Mint, London, England, Great Britain, circa 1880
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Organisation Named
Henry J Hall - Christchurch Coffee Mills, Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand, circa 1880
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Organisation Named
Edward Francis Dease - The Golden Fleece, Wellington, North Island, New Zealand, circa 1880
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Previous Collection
Numismatics Collection, National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), pre 1976
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Inscriptions
Obverse: H.J. HALL FAMILY GROCER WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANT Reverse: E.F. DEASE HALF PENNY WHOLESALE & RETAIL DRAPERY WAREHOUSE BRISBANE ST.
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Denomination
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Series
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Material
Copper
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Axis
12
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Dimensions
28 mm (Outside Diameter), 8.751 g (Weight)
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Shape
Round
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References
Although Hall employed two mints to strike his penny tokens, W.J. Taylor and Stokes. Only Taylor struck the halfpenny denomination. He later, c. 1880, used the Hall halfpenny die with dies of Dease and Livy to make mules. Die identification is the basis of standard references and the museum storage system and for the halfpenny is straightforward. Obverse Other A HALF PENNY at centre Reverse Other 1 H.J. HALL at centre 2 LEATHER & GRINDERY at centre 3 E.F. DEASE at centre The following die combinations have been recorded: Original strikes: A/1 Late strikes: A/2, 1/3 (this token)
[Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 163
[Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., Related to No. 33
[Book] Lampard, William H. 1981. Catalogue of New Zealand Coins Tokens Bank Notes., No. 322b
[Book] Humberstone, Vaughn. 2010. Merchants Making Money.
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Keywords
Coffee, Drapers, Grocers, Mule Tokens, Retail Trade, Retailing
