Summary

Steel Token die, minted by Thomas Stokes of Melbourne. Commissioned by James Dixon, owner of a General Store in Wangaratta, Victoria. There are no known original trade tokens manufactured with this die, however, it was extensively employed in about 1920 at Stokes with a variety of Stock dies etc. to manufacture pieces for collectors.

A Canadian by birth, Dixon arrived in Melbourne in 1851. In approximately 1860 he opened a general store in Wangaratta. He had previously owned a cartage business, which operated out of Melbourne. Although Dixon may have suffered a business crisis around 1862, he is listed of the propreitor of a General Store in Ryley Street, Wangaratta, in Butler & Brookes' 1866-1867 Victorian Directory.

Physical Description

A steel die 55 mm high with a main diameter of 54 mm and a working surface diameter of 34 mm. The die features the name, address and business of the firm which commissioned it: JAMES DIXON WANGARATTA GENERAL STORES. It has a piece of paper glued around its circumference with "Arms T also Vine E" written in ink (by Alfred Chitty?). The letters refer to Chitty's listing of Stokes stock dies - see museum collection catalogue 1923 p.69.

Obverse Description

The die features the name, address and business of the firm which commissioned it: JAMES DIXON WANGARATTA GENERAL STORES. It has a piece of paper glued around its circumference with "Arms T also Vine E" written in ink (by Alfred Chitty?). The letters refer to Chitty's listing of Stokes stock dies - see museum collection catalogue 1923 p.69.

Significance

This die was prepared to fill an order for trade tokens in 1862. The company seems to have gone out of business before the tokens were made (although Andrews suggests the order was completed but the tokens never circulated, if so, all were apparently melted as no original strikes are known). The Twentieth century strikes from this die are much sought after by collectors.

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