Summary

Silver Shilling Pattern token, minted by W.J. Taylor of London. It was supposedly issued from the Kangaroo Office, in Melbourne, Victoria. However Andrews notes that it is unsure whether either these Silver Tokens or their dies, were ever sent to Australia.

W. J. Taylor and his business partners established the Kangaroo Office to take advantage of the explosive economic growth in Australia following the discovery of gold in 1851. They hoped to buy gold at greatly reduced prices from the gold fields and then release it at full value in the form of quarter-ounce, half-ounce, one ounce and two ounce gold coins. However due to the time required to travel between London and Melbourne, once the Kangaroo Office was ready for business in 1854, an increase in the number of British sovereigns, had seen the price of gold rise, and the potential profits for the Kangaroo Office sharply decline. Not deterred, in late 1954 Taylor prepare dies for a series of pattern copper tokens that it was hoped could be produced in Melbourne by the Kangaroo Office for circulation within Australia. It appears that this did not succeed, and in 1855 Taylor began to create shilling and sixpence patterns in silver. However the Kangaroo Office again failed to obtain authority to strike and circulate these silver tokens and in 1857 the Kangaroo Office closed.

Re-strikes and mules of several of the Kangaroo Office tokens were issued. Including one with the reverse of the Australian shilling muled with the obverse of two or three varieties of the English pattern 'Weiner' shillings in both silver and copper.

Physical Description

A plain edged copper strike (22 mm diameter) of a proposed shillin token. It features a crowned head of Queen Victoria facing left within a broad machine-turned rim that bears the incuse legend VICTORIA AUSTRALIA. The reverse features a large numeral 1within a broad machine-turned rim that bears the incuse legend ONE SHILLING.

Obverse Description

At centre a crowned head of Queen Victoria facing left within a broad machine-turned rim that bears the incuse legend VICTORIA AUSTRALIA.

Reverse Description

At centre, a large numeral 1within a broad machine-turned rim that bears the incuse legend ONE SHILLING.

Edge Description

plain

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