Summary

Steel One Penny Token Die, made by Thomas Stokes, Melbourne, 1862. For tokens issued by Hodgson Bros, Grocers & Produce Merchants, Bendigo. Three brothers from Lancashire, Jonathan, Joseph, and Jesse Hodgson, established a pair of general stores on the Bendigo diggings in 1853, one at Sailor's Gully and the other at California Gully. Coming to the diggings early in the piece, they are reputed to have participated in prospecting for and establishing a number of mines in the district. They carried on business for some eighteen years, until Mr. Jonathan died about 1871, his brother Joseph following him some twelve or fifteen years later. Mr. Jonathan Hodgson was elected a member of the first Eaglehawk Borough Council directly after its proclamation as a municipality. Both he and Joseph married and left families in the district. This die was employed post World War I for re-striking for collectors.

Previous Collections: National Gallery of Victoria

Physical Description

A steel die 55 mm high with a base diameter of 54 mm and a working surface diameter of 34 mm. The die features the name, address and business of the issuer: Hodgson Bros. Sailors Gully and Calefornia Gully, Bendigo, wholesale & retail grocers & produce merchants. It is broken in two and is rusting.

Obverse Description

At centre, HODGSON BROS. / SAILORS / GULLY / & / CALEFORNIA / GULLY / BENDIGO; around, WHOLESALE & RETAIL GROCERS & PRODUCE MERCHANTS (all incuse mirror) The die has cracked across the centre and has broken in two off the working face..

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