Summary

Brass One Penny Cast Token, possibly created by Whitty, circa 1855. Based on Penny Token issued by Hanks & Lloyd, Australian Tea Mart. Cast trade tokens are probably best all considered counterfeits. Exceptions might be cast examples of the Whitty & Brown trade tokens. Whitty was a brass founder, Brown and engraver. After dissolution of their partnership, Whitty continued to produce crudely cast pieces which were accepted as currency equally with struck tokens "the public being not in the least particular"' Dr. Mark Long. Spinks' Numismatic Circular Sept. 1898 - as quoted in Heyde p. 85.

J.G. Hanks joined A. Lloyd to open a business in 1855. The same year Hanks and Lloyd must have received their first tokens, as the partners used them as commemoratives for the opening of the first Sydney Railway in1855, an excellent publicity opportunity.
In 1858 the company had changed name, becoming Hanks & Co. It seems that Lloyd was still participating in the business, but he had always been the junior partner.

Physical Description

A cast copy of a round token (33 mm dia) featuring the name, address and business of the company Hanks & Lloyd Sydney Tea Market. The reverse commemorates the opening of the Sydney Railway in 1855. The token has a large hole.

Obverse Description

At centre, HANKS / AND / LLOYD; around, AUSTRALIAN TEA MART . SYDNEY .

Reverse Description

TO COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF / THE / SYDNEY / RAILWAY / 26TH SEPTR / 1855

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Alfred Chitty Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Mr Alfred Chitty, 15 Mar 1976

  • Date Issued

    circa 1855 AD

  • Issued By

    Sydney, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

  • Previous Collection

    Mr Alfred Chitty

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: HANKS AND LLOYD AUSTRALIAN TEA MART SYDNEY Reverse: TO COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF THE SYDNEY RAILWAY 26TH SEPTR 1855

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Brass

  • Axis

    12

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - new south wales, Circulating casts

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    33 mm (Outside Diameter), 13.78 g (Weight)
    Holed

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    Cast trade tokens are probably best all considered counterfeits. Exceptions might be cast examples of the Whitty & Brown trade tokens - 'Whitty was a brass founder, Brown and engraver. After dissolution of their partnership, Whitty continued to produce crudely cast pieces which were accepted as currency equally with struck tokens "the public being not in the least particular"' Dr. Mark Long. Spinks' Numismatic Circular Sept. 1898 - as quoted in Heyde p. 85. The Advance Australia type by Whitty & Brown was copied from an anonymous W.J.Taylor of London issue and occurs both struck and cast. How one should classify a cast example of an unauthorised copy of an anonymous unofficial trade token is interesting.
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., p.85 Pages

  • Keywords

    Counterfeits