Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by Heaton & Sons, Birmingham, in 1858. This token is part of a large anonymous token issue made by Heaton & Sons employing die hubbing techniques.

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) without the name of an issuer or mint. The obverse (so called as the seated Justice type is normally a reverse) features a coat of arms consisting of a central shield below a rising sun with emu and kangaroo supporters. The shield is quartered and contains: top left, Golden Fleece, top right, three masted sailing ship, bottom left bull standing facing left, bottom right, anchor. The supporters stand on a pair of simple curved lines which also hold the base of the shield, a ribbon bearing the motto ADVANCE AUSTRALIA is draped across these lines below their feet. Around above, PEACE & PLENTY. The reverse features a female figure representing Justice seated on a wool bale with legs to left but her head and upper body to front. A wine barrel lies on the ground behind her and a three-masted sailing ship sails to the right on the horizon to the left. She wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm bare and right draped to near the elbow. Around above, MELBOURNE VICTORIA, in exergue, 1858.

Obverse Description

Coat of arms consisting of a central shield below a rising sun with emu and kangaroo supporters. The shield is quartered and contains: top left, Golden Fleece, top right, three masted sailing ship, bottom left bull standing facing left, bottom right, anchor. The supporters stand on a pair of simple curved lines which also hold the base of the shield, a ribbon bearing the motto ADVANCE AUSTRALIA is draped across these lines below their feet. Around above, PEACE & PLENTY. Die crack to P of PLENTY

Reverse Description

Female figure representing Justice seated on a wool bale with legs to left but her head and upper body to front. A wine barrel lies on the ground behind her and a three-masted sailing ship sails to the right on the horizon to the left. She wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm bare and right draped to near the elbow. Around above, MELBOURNE VICTORIA, in exergue, 1858.

Edge Description

plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Royal Melbourne Mint Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from Melbourne Branch of Royal Mint, 11 Jan 1978

  • Date Issued

    1858 AD

  • Issued By

    Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

  • Mint

    Heaton & Sons (Mint), Birmingham, England, Great Britain, 1858

  • Previous Collection

    Royal Mint, Melbourne Branch

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: PEACE & PLENTY ADVANCE AUSTRALIA Reverse: MELBOURNE VICTORIA 1858

  • 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), 15.533 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    This is a large anonymous issue for which Heaton & Son employed die hubbing with the result that the dies are almost identical. There are at least 2 obverse dies and perhaps 5 reverses. Sharples JNAA 7.69 (which is out of date 2004) combines the Peace & Plenty types with the legend Melbourne, Victoria and dated 1858 with those that are dated 1859 and have no other reverse legend. Here only the Peace and Plenty 1858 die details are considered: Obverse E to P Beads P to Emu Other A 6.8 135 0.2 B 6.8 135 0.2 Die crack to & C 6.8 135 0.2 Die crack to P of PLENTY Reverse E to V M to Sea A to Sea Beads Other 1 5.4 4.0 3.0 134 Die crack through N 2 5.1 4.0 3.5 135 3 4.8 4.5 3.5 135 4 4.2 5.1 5.5 135
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 652
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 200/3
    [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., No. 185f

  • Keywords

    Wholesale Trade