Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by W.J. Taylor, London. Issued by Merry & Bush, General Merchants, Toowoomba, Queensland, 1863. The Merry in this business is, however, thought to be the same as the principal of T.F. Merry & Co.

Previous Collections: George McArthur

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter). The token design featuring the name, business and Colony of the issuer: Merry & Bush, merchants and general importers, Queensland and on the reverse a Coat of Arms consisting of a central shield below a Rising Sun and supported by an emu at left and kangaroo at right all resting on a ribbon with the motto ADVANCE AUSTRALIA. The shield is quartered and contains: upper left - a golden fleece; upper right - a three-masted sailing ship; lower left - a bull standing facing left; lower right a anchor.

Obverse Description

Curved around centre, MERRY & BUSH / QUEENSLAND; around, MERCHANTS & GENERAL IMPORTERS . 1863 .

Reverse Description

At centre Coat of Arms consisting of a central shield below a Rising Sun and supported by an emu at left and kangaroo at right all resting on a ribbon with the motto ADVANCE AUSTRALIA. The shield is quartered and contains: upper left - a golden fleece; upper right - a three-masted sailing ship; lower left - a bull standing facing left; lower right a anchor. Above, PEACE & PLENTY

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collection Names

    McArthur Bequest

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

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

  • Date Issued

    1863 AD

  • Issued By

    Merry & Bush General Merchants, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, 1863

  • Mint

    W.J.Taylor, Mint, London, England, Great Britain, 1863

  • Previous Collection

    George McArthur

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: MERRY & BUSH QUEENSLAND MERCHANTS & GENERAL IMPORTERS 1863 Reverse: PEACE & PLENTY ADVANCE AUSTRALIA

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    12

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - queensland, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    34 mm (Outside Diameter), 14.867 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    A second obverse die was described by Andrews (p. 71 No. 365) on which the first stroke of the M of MERRY is level with the first stroke of the H in MERCHANTS. Heyde follows this (p. 59 No. 168/1) but adds '?' to the description. This die is listed in the Chitty cataloge of the collection in 1926 as a 'Want'. It has not been confirmed to exist.
    [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. 364
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 168/2