Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by Heaton & Sons, Birmingham, circa 1855-1860. Issued by R. Andrew Mather, Family Draper, Hobart, Tasmania. This firm was established in 1823 by Robert Andrew Mather Snr, who had arrived in Hobart with his wife Ann in 1822. Robert Andrew Mather Jnr was born and educated in Tasmania and managed the business from the late 1840s until his retirement in 1876, when his sons Robert and Thomas took control, changing the name of the store to Andrew Mather and Co.. Thomas retired from the business in 1894, and Robert was still managing the store in 1910, assisted by his two sons.

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) featuring the name and business of the company which issued the tokens: R. Andrew Mather & Co. Hobart Town, Family Drapers. The reverse depicts a female figure representing Justice standing facing left. She 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 is draped to near the elbow while drapery falls from her extended arm to below the horizon line behind; around above, TASMANIA. A three-masted sailing ship on horizon at left of token.

Obverse Description

At centre, FAMILY / DRAPER / &c.; around above, . R. ANDREW MATHER. around below, HOBART TOWN

Reverse Description

Female figure representing Justice standing facing left. She 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 is draped to near the elbow while drapery falls from her extended arm to below the horizon line behind; around above, TASMANIA. A three-masted sailing ship on horizon at left of token.

Edge Description

Plain

More Information

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Colonel R. A. Crouch, 15 Mar 1976

  • Date Issued

    circa 1855-1860 AD

  • Issued By

    Robert A. Mather, Hobart, Greater Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 1855-1865

  • Mint

    Heaton & Sons (Mint), Birmingham, England, Great Britain, 1855-1865

  • Previous Collection

    Colonel R. A. Crouch

  • Inscriptions

    Obverse: R. ANDREW MATHER FAMILY DRAPER &c HOBART TOWN Reverse: TASMANIA

  • Denomination

    1 Penny

  • Series

    Trade Tokens

  • Material

    Copper

  • Axis

    06

  • Classification

    Trade tokens, Australia - tasmania, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    34 mm (Outside Diameter), 15.635 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    The R. Andrew Mather token penny issue required three obverse but apparently only one reverse dies for its production. The identification of the dies is the key to both the standard references to the tokens and the museum's storage. They can be identified as follows: Obverse Border F of FAMILY to A Tail of R Other A 136 beads 1.5 mm Level with top of DRAPER B 134 beads 1.5 mm Just above top of DRAPER die cracked rim to bead before H C 135 beads 1.0 mm Just above top of DRAPER The following die combinations have been recorded: A/1, B/1 (this token), C/1 Letter by R. Andrew Mather about his tokens in 'Colonial Times' Hobart, Tasmania, Saturday 5 April 1856: [Link 1]
    [Book] Andrews, Arthur. 1921. Australasian Tokens and Coins., No. 357
    [Book] Heyde, Gilbert C. & Skinner, Dion H. 1967. Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand., No. 163/1

  • Keywords

    Drapers, Retail Trade, Retailing