Summary

Brass One Penny Cast Token, possibly created by Whitty, circa 1857. Based on Penny Token issued by Hanks & Co, Australian Tea Mart, Sydney. 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. 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. In 1861 the founder's son, John L. Hanks, opened another 'Tea and Coffee Merchants' business trading as J. G. Hanks & Co. The junior Hanks' business endured until almost the end of the nineteenth century. J.G. Hanks left his original business in 1863 and joined his son's enterprise.

Physical Description

A crude cast copy of the Hanks &Co. token penny in brass . It is round, 33 mm diameter, 1 mm smaller than the originals, and bears a coat of arms.

Obverse Description

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

Reverse Description

Arms of New South Wales; above, PEACE & PLENTY; below, 1857 on ribbon below Arms, ADVANCE AUSTRALIA

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Alfred Chitty Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Sustainable Futures, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

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

  • Date Issued

    1857 AD

  • Issued By

    Hanks & Compy., Sydney, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

  • Mint

    Whitty (Mint)

  • Previous Collection

    Mr Alfred Chitty

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: HANKS AND COMPY. AUSTRALIAN TEA MART SYDNEY Reverse: PEACE & PLENTY 1857

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Brass

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - new south wales, Circulating casts

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    33 mm (Outside Diameter), 13.5 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    May, T. "Tokens of George Street." Australian Numismatist. 1988 (Special Bicentennial Edition):pp21-36; -Samson's National Directory of New South Wales for 1867-1868; -Advertisement. The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 April 1857: p.1; -Advertisement. The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 June 1854: p.1; -Andrews, A. Australian Tokens and Coins. 1921: p.16; -Advertisement. Sydney Morning Herald. 14 May 1861: p.6; -May, T. The Sydney Firm of Hanks and Lloyd, and its associated variations. Unpublished MSS. 2005. 3pps. 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., No. 93
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 184

  • Keywords

    Counterfeits, Retailing, Shops, Tea