Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by Thomas Stokes, Melbourne. Issued by Gippsland Hardware Co, Port Albert & Sale, 1862. Gardner asserts that this business was founded in Port Albert in 1859 by James McEwan & Co., Ironmongers, of Melbourne. They sent two Scots, John Thompson and John Neill, to manage the store, replacing Thompson with his brother James after a short time. Both Neill and Thompson returned to Melbourne and the business passed into the management of William Rigg, until it was sold to Nehemiah Guttheridge, a resident of Sale. Guttheridge opened a branch of the store in his own town and took a chemist named Wood as his partner. Gardner believes that it was these two who issued the store's tokens in 1862. As Port Albert declined and Sale grew, the business in the former place was sold off. Mr Guttheridge is said to have been the first Mayor of Sale.

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter). The token features the name, address and business of the issuer: Gippsland Hardware Company, Port Albert & Sale. The reverse features a plough with the motto TRADE & AGRICULTURE around below in two lines, T. STOKES MAKER / 100 COLLINS ST. EAST MELBOURNE. GIPPS LAND is given as two words. This token has been cleaned and the reverse has re-toned.

Obverse Description

At centre within a line circle in four lines, PORT / ALBERT / & / SALE around, : GIPPS LAND : HARDWARE COMPANY

Reverse Description

At centre a plough, around above, TRADE & AGRICULTURE around below in two lines, T. STOKES MAKER / 100 COLLINS ST. EAST MELBOURNE

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Royal Melbourne Mint Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Sustainable Futures, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from Melbourne Branch of Royal Mint, 11 Jan 1978

  • Date Issued

    1862 AD

  • Issued By

    Gippsland Hardware Company, Port Albert, South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, 1862

  • Mint

    Stokes (Mint), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1862

  • Previous Collection

    Royal Mint, Melbourne Branch

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: GIPPS LAND HARDWARE COMPANY PORT ALBERT & SALE Reverse: TRADE & AGRICULTURE 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), 15.16 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    The trade token issue for the Gippsland Hardware Company required two obverse dies and two reverse dies to produce. The dies are distinguished quite simple: Obverse A: GIPPS LAND is two words (2.0 mm seperate the S and L) Obverse B: GIPPSLAND is one word (0.4 mm seperate S and L) Reverse 1: Depicts a plough Reverse 2: Stokes Stock Arms 6 The following combinations were struck in 1862: A/1 (this token), A/Arms 6, B/Arms 6 The obverse die is cracked on all examples of A/1 examined but is not cracked on A/Arms 6 tokens. From the die deterioration the order of token production was A/Arms 6 then A/1 with die axis 12 and finally A/1 with die axis 06. The change of die axis may relate to an attempt to repair or reinforce the breaking die. In the early Twentieth Century re-striking occured with obverse B, one original strike with B/Arms 6 has been examined (NU3752).
    [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. 193
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 82
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 146

  • Keywords

    Hardware Stores, Ploughs