Summary

Copper One Penny Token, minted by W.J. Taylor, London. Issued by Archibald Clark, Auckland, 1857. Archibald was a Scot, who trained to be a Presbyterian Minister, but migrated to New Zealand in 1849 and opened a draper's business in Auckland. Clark prospered and brought his sons into the business, which ran until 1928. In addition to his successful business career Clark was also a prominent local and New Zealand politician of his day. He was the first Mayor of Auckland in 1851 and a Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives between 1860 and 1874. In 1867 and 1868 he was a member of the Auckland Provincial Council. His son, J. McCosh Clark, was also Mayor of Auckland (1880-83) as well as briefly serving as a member of the Provincial council in 1870. Clark is thought to have been New Zealand's first token issuer. The reverse bears the title 'New Zealand' suggesting a desire to make the tokens different to the Australian tokens that were so common at the time.

Physical Description

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) featuring the name, address and business of the company that issued the tokens: Archibald Clark, Shortland St. Auckland, draper. The reverse features a female figure representing Justice seated on a wool bale with legs to left but her head and upper body to front. A wine barrel lies on the ground behind her and a three-masted sailing ship sails to the right on the horizon to the 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 bare and right draped to near the elbow. Around is NEW ZEALAND with the date 1857 in exergue.

Obverse Description

Within a beaded circle in three lines: SHORTLAND / STREET / AUCKLAND around, ARCHIBALD CLARK DRAPER

Reverse Description

Female figure representing Justice seated on a wool bale with legs to left but her head and upper body to front. A wine barrel lies on the ground behind her and a three-masted sailing ship sails to the right on the horizon to the 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 bare and right draped to near the elbow. Around above, NEW ZEALAND in exergue 1857

Edge Description

Plain

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