Summary

Copper one Penny token, minted by Heaton & Sons of Birmingham, circa 1857. Issued by Smith, Peate & Co. Grocers, Tea & Wine Merchants in Sydney.

In 1855 Thomas Peate and Alfred Harcourt joined Edward A. Smith to form Smith, Peate and Co., Shipping and Family Grocers and Wine Merchants, in Sydney. Peate and Smith's grandfathers, Captain George Peate and William Smith, had been the owners of a trading vessel Sally from 1820-1825. During the 1860s the business did well and claimed the patronage of 'His Excellency, the Governor in Chief.' In 1880 the business became Peate and Harcourt. In 1886 W.H. Peate, son of Thomas, moved the business to larger premises, and in 1893 T.J. Turton became a partner in the firm. The Smiths and Harcourt had all retired from the business by this time. The business closed in 1897 and the building was demolished.

Previous Collections: George McArthur

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter). The token design featuring the name, address, business and foundation date of the issuer: Smith, Peate and Co., 258 & 260 George Street Sydney, grocers, tea dealers, wine merchants. The reverse depicts Justice standing facing left, blindfolded and extending balanced scales from her right hand, her left hand rests on an inverted cornucopiae from which fruits flow. A sailing ship is seen on the horizon to the left of the figure. This was part of a large issuer of tokens production of which involved four or five obverse dies. The obverse of all dies bore the same legend. This die was characterised by the letters of the words WINE MERCHANTS being 28.6 mm long; 136 dots around the edge and the A of TEA being 1.5 mm from the D of DEALERS. See notes tab for a table of other die variations.

Obverse Description

SMITH, PEATE & Co. / GROCERS / TEA DEALERS / & / WINE MERCHANTS / 258 & 260 / GEORGE ST. / SYDNEY This die was characterised by the letters of the words WINE MERCHANTS being 28.6 mm long; 136 dots around the edge and the A of TEA being 1.5 mm from the D of DEALERS.

Reverse Description

The reverse depicts Justice standing facing left, blindfolded and extending balanced scales from her right hand, her left hand rests on an inverted cornucopiae from which fruits flow (a small G is among the fruit). A sailing ship is seen on the horizon to the left of the figure. Above ESTABLISHED, in exergue, 1836 The distance of the start and end of the word ESTABLISHED to the horizon is: E to sea 11.0 mm, D to sea 12.0 mm; border of 130 dots.

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    McArthur Bequest

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Sustainable Futures, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), George McArthur, 15 Mar 1976

  • Date Issued

    circa 1857 AD

  • Issued By

    Smith, Peate & Co., Sydney, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1854-1864

  • Mint

    Heaton & Sons (Mint), Birmingham, England, Great Britain

  • Previous Collection

    George McArthur

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: SMITH, PEATE & Co. GROCERS TEA DEALERS & WINE MERCHANTS 258 & 260 GEORGE ST. SYDNEY Reverse: ESTABLISHED 1836

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    12

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - new south wales, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    34 mm (Outside Diameter), 16.061 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    -May, T. "Tokens of George Street." Australian Numismatist. 1988 (Special Bicentennial Edition): pp21-36; -Advertisement. Waugh's Australian Almanac for 1858. Advertisements section: p.22; -Advertisement. The Courier. 24 January 1865: p.4; -Advertisement. Sydney Morning Herald. 11 May 1861: p.3; -Advertisement. Sydney Morning Herald. 13 April 1861: p.6; -Advertisement. Bradshaw's Almanac & General Guide for 1864. Advertisements section. Unnumbered page. Table of obverse die variations. This token struck with die B. Die WINE MERCHANTS A to D Rim dots A 29.8 mm 2.0 mm 137 B 28.6 mm 1.5 mm 136 C 29.3 mm 2.0 mm 136 D 29.5 mm 1.2 mm 134
    [Thesis] Lugton, Mary E. 1989. George McArthur of Maldon: his Life and his Book Collection.
    [Catalogue] Morrison, Ian. 2003. The Baker of Maldon.
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 479
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 225/2

  • Keywords

    Grocers, Retailing, Shops, Tea, Wine & Spirit Merchants