Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by Pope & Co, Birmingham. Issued by I. Booth & Co, Draper & Outfitter, Melbourne, circa 1853. Isaac Booth lived and kept a draper's shop at 129 Elizabeth Street, in the year 1851, and that he remained there until the year 1855. The Argus for Saturday July 2 1853 included two advertisements placed by Booth, dated 16 May 1853. He begged to acquaint the Inhabitants of Collingwood, Richmond and surrounding neighbourhood that he was opening a new store in Collingwood at Derbyshire House on Heidelberg Road, just below the Collingwood Hotel, on the 21st of May 1853. Immediately below this advertisement was another which stated that he was re-building his Elizabeth Street premises but that all orders from the Bush and the Diggings would be attended to from the Collingwood store.

Previous Collections: George McArthur

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) giving the name address and business of the issuer: I. Booth & Co, Melbourne, draper and outfitter. The token features on the reverse Britannia seated facing left on a rock against which rests a shield decorated with the Union Jack. Britannia extends an olive branch in her right hand and rests a trident from her left. A crudely illustrated three-masted sailing ship is on the horizon at left.

Obverse Description

Legend in five lines within a border of 113 beads, I.BOOTH / * DRAPER * / OUTFITTER &c. / MELBOURNE / VICTORIA the first and last lines are curved.

Reverse Description

Britannia seated facing left on a rock against which rests a shield decorated with the Union Jack. Britannia extends an olive branch (with twelve leaves) in her right hand and rests a trident from her left. A three-masted sailing ship is on the horizon at left; above, BRITANNIA.

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

    circa 1853 AD

  • Issued By

    I Booth & Co, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1850-1856

  • Mint

    Pope, T. & Co. (Mint), Birmingham, England, Great Britain, 1850-1855

  • Previous Collection

    George McArthur

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: I. BOOTH DRAPER OUTFITTER &c. MELBOURNE VICTORIA Reverse: BRITANNIA

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    12

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - victoria, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    34 mm (Outside Diameter), 16.352 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    The reverse die employed on this first issue for E. DeCarle (see NU 3679) is the same as the one used on this token. This may assist in dating the issues as it indicates they are roughly contemporary. "Remarks as to date etc. It will be noted that this token has neither Street nor date on it, in 1853 Booth had two shops 129 Elizabeth St. and 147 Lonsdale Street, in 1854 the Lonsdale Street shop was closed and business carried on at 129 Elizabeth St., after 1856 there was no Booth carrying on as Draper in Melbourne. I should imagine this token was issued about 1853 or 1854" Alfred Chitty 1923 Catalogue of the Coins Token Coins &c of Australasia, Public Library Melbourne, p.74.
    [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. 44
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 26
    [Article] Sharples, John P. 1993. A Catalogue of the Trade Tokens of Victoria 1848 to 1862. Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia. vol.7: p.1-77., V. 50

  • Keywords

    Drapers, Outfitters