Item NU 18884 Token - 1 Penny, Cast, John Andrew & Co, Drapers, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1860

Summary

Brass One Penny Cast Token, possibly created by Whitty, circa 1860. Based on Penny Token issued by John Andrew & Co, Drapers, Melbourne. 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.

John Andrew was apprenticed to the drapery trade in Glasgow and was later successful in his own drapery business in Scotland. He migrated to Australia in 1853. In 1854 he was listed in a Melbourne directory as the owner of a drapery and outfitting business in Lonsdale Street. In 1856 John married Ann Forbes, also from Wick. John sold his business in 1869 to Christie and Berwick and retired to live privately. In 1877 he was encouraged to stand for election to represent West Melbourne in the Legislative Assembly. He was duly elected and displayed his characteristic enthusiasm and progressive personality. At the end of his term, however, he retreated into retirement once again.

Physical Description

A crude brass casting if a round token (33 mm diameter) giving the name address and business of John Andrew & Co., 11 Lonsdale Street West, Melbourne, Importers and general drapers. The token features at centre of the obverse a male lion standing to left with head crowned facing front, its right paw is raised and rests on a shield bearing the Union Jack, its tail curved back over its body. On the reverse a female figure representing Justice seated on a wool bale with legs to left but her head and upper body to front. A wine barrel lies on the ground behind her, its end decorated with a cross to hint at a Union Jack (as found beside Britannia on the copper coins of the period). A three-masted sailing ship sails to the right on the horizon to the left. Justice wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm bare and right draped to near the elbow. It bears the date 1860 but could have been cast up to late 1862

Obverse Description

At centre, male lion standing to left with head crowned facing front, its right paw is raised and rests on a shield bearing the Union Jack, its tail curved back over its body. around in two concentric circles of text devided by a beaded circle * JOHN ANDREW & CO. * IMPORTERS & GENERAL DRAPERS / 11 LONSDALE STREET WEST * MELBOURNE * In small letters in the exergue below the lion, COARD LONDON

Reverse Description

A female figure representing Justice seated on a wool bale with legs to left but her head and upper body to front. A wine barrel lies on the ground behind her, its end decorated with a cros to hint at a Union Jack (as found beside Britannia on the copper coins of the period). A three-masted sailing ship sails to the right on the horizon to the left. Justice wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm bare and right draped to near the elbow. Around above, MELBOURNE VICTORIA.; in exergue, 1860

Edge Description

Plain