Summary

Steel One Penny Token Die, made by Thomas Stokes, Melbourne, 1862. Used to strike tokens issued by Gippsland Hardware Co, Port Albert & Sale. Gardner asserts that this business was founded in Port Albert in 1859 by James McEwan & Co., Ironmongers, of Melbourne. They sent two Scots, John Thompson and John Neill, to manage the store, replacing Thompson with his brother James after a short time. Both Neill and Thompson returned to Melbourne and the business passed into the management of William Rigg, until it was sold to Nehemiah Guttheridge, a resident of Sale. Guttheridge opened a branch of the store in his own town and took a chemist named Wood as his partner. Gardner believes that it was these two who issued the store's tokens in 1862. As Port Albert declined and Sale grew, the business in the former place was sold off. Mr Guttheridge is said to have been the first Mayor of Sale.

Previous Collections: National Gallery of Victoria

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 and address of the firm that commissioned it: GIPPSLAND HARDWARE COMPANY PORT ALBERT AND SALE all incuse and retrograde

Obverse Description

Around rim, GIPPSLAND : HARDWARE COMPANY : at centre in three lines PORT ALBERT AND SALE all incuse and retrograde.

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