Summary
Steel One Penny Token Die, made by Thomas Stokes, Melbourne, 1862. Used to strike tokens for Stead Bros, Grocers & Seedsmen, Bendigo, Victoria in 1862. It was also used post World War I to re-strike tokens for collectors. The three Stead brothers came to Victoria in the early 1850s from Leeds in England. They established themselves as 'fruiterers, grocers and produce merchants' in Bendigo soon afterwards. The brothers were active in their business through the 1860s. Between 1862 and 1864 they maintained a store at in Melbourne, as well as their main shop in Bendigo. From 1865 they were using H. Box & Co.'s premises as their Melbourne address. John Stead ran the Bendigo side of the business, his brothers looking after the Melbourne depot. The brothers ran a number of teams between the two cities. The Steads also kept something of a menagerie, which was not always kept under control. It is recorded that their magpie escaped and a five [pound] reward was offered. Then, their monkey escaped and the local paper reported: That embodiment of mischief, 'Stead's Monkey', managed yesterday to slip his chain and occassioned considerable amusement to a large crowd by his agility and cunning in avoiding his intending captors.'
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: Stead Bros. Pall Mall Sandhurst, grocers & seedsmen.
Obverse Description
STEAD BROTHERS / FRUITERERS / GROCERS / & SEEDSMEN / PALL MALL / SANDHURST (incuse mirror)
More Information
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Collecting Areas
Numismatics & Philately, Sustainable Futures, Working Life & Trades
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 15 Mar 1976
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Date Issued
1862 AD
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Issued By
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Mint
Stokes (Mint), Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1862
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Commissioned By
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Previous Collection
Numismatics Collection, National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), pre 1976
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Inscriptions
Obverse: STEAD BROTHERS FRUITERERS GROCERS & SEEDSMEN PALL MALL SANDHURST (incuse mirror)
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Denomination
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Series
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Material
Steel
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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
55 mm (Height), 54 mm (Outside Diameter)
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References
The Stead Brothers die was employed in 1862 to manufacture tokens with a Vine reverse (NU11692). Heyde discussed the Vine reverse type: "Most specimens are restrikes; a very small number are known of what appear to be "originals". These appear to be so rare that they could be regarded as patterns. Should more "originals" be discovered, this piece might be considered for reclassification as a Token. This Stokes' Reverse has been used so frequently for the production of "new" combinations in the 20th Century that its appearance is always highly suspect." Heyde p. 71 The Museum holds both "original" (NU 18421) and re-strikes (NU4343 and NU 4344) of this Arms reverse type.
[Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., p.71 Pages
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Keywords
Colonial Produce, Gold, Grocers, Numismatic Dies, Numismatic Technology, Seed Merchants, Seeds
