Australasian Tokens and Coins
The Medallists of Australasian Tokens
Both English and Colonial Medallists were engaged in the manufacture of Australasian Tokens, but as only about one-third of the issues bear the name or initials of the maker it is often difficult to decide their origin.
The English makers were
- ALLEN AND MOORE
- HEATON AND SONS
- POPE & Co.
- SMITH and KEMP, all of Birmingham
- TODMAN
- TAYLOR, W. J., and perhaps
- COARD, all of London
The firm of WOOD AND SON has also been mentioned, but no particular issue has been traced to them, nor does any indication of their name appear on any known piece. Colonial makers were :
- J. C. THORNTHWAITE
- HOGARTH AND ERICHSEN
- WHITTY AND BROWN, all of Sydney
- THOMAS STOKES
- STOKES AND MARTIN, and, again,
- W. J. TAYLOR, of Melbourne
In the above list Coard is included, because his name appears on several issues, and he will be noticed further with W. J. Taylor, whose name appears in both the English and Colonial lists.
Heaton and Sons, the well-known firm, engaged in the production of the British bronze issue with many other Imperial and Colonial pieces, were responsible for some of the best designed and executed Australasian Tokens. Their Mint mark, a minute H&S, only appears twice in the whole series. In both cases it is to be found beneath the shield of Britannia. It is on one variety of each issuer only, viz., the ANNAND, SMITH & Co. penny with twelve leaves on the olive branch (No. 18), and Iredale & Co. (No. 291). The figure of Britannia on the second variety of Annand, Smith & Co. is so similar that there can be no doubt of a common origin. Then, reverting to the Iredale series, the obverses of the eight varieties are so uniformi that they may unhesitatingly be ascribed to the same press, and thus enable us to identify the source of the design of the reverses. Though, as mentioned above, No. 291 has Britannia on the reverse, the other seven Iredale pieces have what is generally described a standing figure of Justice, blindfolded, with scales borne by the right hand, while the left rests on the upturned point of a cornucopia, with sea and a ship in the background. This reverse does not occur on any piece bearing a medallist's name, nor with any obverse known to belong to another maker. Therefore, all issues having this reverse are now ascribed to this firm, an opinioni strongly supported by a careful examination of the workmanship and general characteristics of the pieces. It appears on the issues of sixteen firms or individuals, viz. Battle and Weight, James Campbell, Smith, Peate & Co., and Weight and Johnson, of New South Wales; Moubray, Lush & Co., R. Parker, W. Bateman junr.), and W. Jamieson & Co., of Victoria; R. A. Mather, of Hubart; John Martin, Martin and Sach, and Alfred Taylor, of South Australia; T. H.. Jones, of Queensland; H. Ashton (pence, 1862-3), J. W. Merrington, and D. Anderson, of New Zealand.
Allen and Moore are not represented as a firm, but Joseph Moore, one of the partners, placed his name on the abundant issues of Holloway, which flooded Australia and other Colonies for years, and is now the commonest token found. We know, however, that he submitted several designs for the Imperial bronze coinage of 1860, one of which he used for what is known as The New Zealand Penny (No. 399). He also used the same design for tokens in other Colonies. There is reason to believe that only about a dozen of these rare pieces were struck, and, as the dies were destroyed in 1886, there is little danger of re-strikes being pro- duced. From the similarity of the Queen's head on the Licensed V'ictuallers' pieces issued about the same time they have been ascribed to him.
Pope & Co. This firm's name only appears once, and that on their own issue, but there are, however, two others at least that have been ascribed to them. These are I. Booth, of Melbourne, and E. De Carle & Co., of Melbourne and Plenty. The ground for thus ascribing them is the exact similarity of the figure of Britannia on the reverse to that on their own issue. The bust is decidedly fuller than on the Heaton issues, the exact regularity of the leaves on the olive branch, three together below, two on each side higher and two at the top, while they are longer and thicker stemmed. The two stones behind the shield are also quite separate. So alike are they that it would appear that the same master die had been used in their manufacture.
Of Smith and Kemp's work we have but one example - Miller and Dismorr, of Melbourne, well made, but not remarkable.
Todman, of London, is only represented by one issue. That is of Hurley & Co., of New Zealand (Nos. 276-7), which bears his name. The pieces are well struck and designed, but in no way remarkable.
W. J. Taylor and Coard will be best considered with the Victorian maker, Stokes. Of colonial die-sinkers, J. C. Thornthwaite was the first, as already related. He was a seal engraver by trade, and, as might be expected, his designs and finished pieces did not compare favourably with those of the British die-sinkers. While his silver pieces do him a good deal of credit, those he struck in copper exhibit some want of depth in relief, and of a raised rim to protect the design from wear. Possibly the low relief of the designs was partly the result of his having to improvise the means of striking them in the absence of a proper screw press. He usually placed his initials on the silver pieces, and those that he struck for other persons in copper, while placing his name in full on his own copper issues. Specimens of his work are known in silver for himself and Campbell, of Morpeth, and in copper pence and halves for Peek & Co. and himself, and pence only for John and William Allen and Bell and Gardner.
In addition to these it is known that he designed pence for Campbell, and Iredale & Co., of Sydney, though for some reason they were never put into circulation, and no specimens are known to exist.
Hogarth, Erichsen & Co. were jewellers in Sydney, and confined their energies to the issue of large numbers of threepences bearing their name. There are not less than eight varieties, often of very inferior metal. Indeed, so poor was the quality that it is said that they were withdrawn under Government pressure. Erichsen is credited with being the actual maker, and also with having a habit of striking a few whenever he felt in need of refreshment. Hogarth was also a practical die-sinker, and for years after the firm was dissolved worked largely for Stokes, in Melbourne, though never in his workshop. The reverse of some very fair medals for the Exhibition in Melbourne in 1872, was designed by him.
Whitty and Brown issued a large series bearing portraits of the members of the firm and its name on the obverse. They were also responsible for what are known as the Ram pieces, and another series with ONE PENNY on the obverse. These are all of inferior workmanship and most irregular in upset, it being difficult to find two having exactly the same angle of upset or exactly similar lettering. This was due to their having been struck on an anvil with some species of drop-hammer. They are also credited with making the copy of W. J. Taylor's penny with the same obverse and a kangaroo and emu on the reverse. Certainly these copies all show a flaw between the C of ADVANCE and the inner circle, which is also constant on Whitty and Brown's own One Penny series. The firm is not known to have made any tokens for others.
With the Melbourne group of medallists, W. J. Taylor, Thomas Stokes, and Stokes and Martin, it is necessary to consider the work of Coard, generally included with London medallists.
Though Coard's name and address, LONDON, appear on the issues of John Andrew & Co., and A. G. Hodgson, of Melbourne, both in 1860, and 1862, there is reason to believe that he was merely an employee of Taylor. His name does not appear in Forrer's Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, and inquiry by Dr. Roth and another over twenty years ago satisfied them that he merely obtained orders in Australia and had them executed by Taylor. When Taylor's plant and dies were sold after his death, Coard's dies were included in the sale. William Joseph Taylor, born in Birmingham, started in business in London in 1829. In 1852, financed by a small syndicate, he sent a coining press and plant to Melbourne under the charge of Mr. W. R. Scaiffe. The latter was awarded a Bronze medal for pieces struck at the Melbourne Exhibition in 1854. An office known as the Kangaroo Office was opened, and work done, all dies being prepared by Taylor in London. The Kangaroo Office pieces and several proposals for silver and copper issues will be considered later. In Australasian Tokens he did a large business. His name only appears on nine occasions, but judging by design and execution, fully forty other issues emanated from his establishment. Here again we find his connection with Thomas Stokes confusing, making it impossible to decide in many cases whether Taylor issued the pieces or merely supplied Stokes with the dies, many of which are in the possession of the successors of the latter at the present day. Stokes made no tokens till after he purchased Taylor's plant, so we may credit Taylor with at least the dated issues prior to 1857. Taylor continued in business till his death in 1885.
Thomas Stokes arrived in Melbourne about 1854. He was a die-sinker and button-maker in 1856, at 115 Flinders Lane East. He himself stated that he issued no tokens till after he purchased Taylor's plant in 1857. There is no indication that he prepared any pieces bearing his own name before 1862, but it is hardly reasonable to conclude that he kept the plant idle with the dies already to hand, and it is probable that he supplied many customers from them, and procured other dies from Taylor when necessary. It is supposed that during this time he was responsible for the issue of many of the mules known to collectors.
In 1862, Stokes seems to have taken quite an independent line, and produced his well-known series of reverses bearing a Vine branch, the Australian Arms, an Emu, or a Wheatsheaf, which are so characteristic of his work, and appear on so many different issues. At this time he became responsible for many pieces bearing no issuer's name, and having on obverse and reverse his reverses variously muled. He was accustomed, when asked for a supply of tokens by one who did not care to go to the expense of a special die, to take the first that came handy, and strike off the required number. Thus originated most of the fifty or more varieties now credited to him. He also used these reverses in over thirty instances with obverses bearing the name of the issuer in that year alone.
Among medallists, Stokes must be credited with having issued more tokens if not more varieties than any other by himself, and when his work in conjunction with Taylor is taken into consideration, it seems probable that between them they were responsible for a very large majority of the total issued.
Stokes's business was greatly interfered with by tokens being declared illegal in Victoria in 1863, and there are few issues of later date, but he still continued to supply persons in other colonies till much later.
In 1870, Stokes took Mr. Martin into partnership, by which time the use of tokens was rapidly passing, and we find but few of their issues, and these chiefly for New Zealand. Those they made for Henderson in Western Australia in 1874, would appear to be the last colonial made pieces for ordinary currency.
Medallists and their Issues
Allen and Moore
- 326. Licensed Victuallers.
- 399. New Zealand Penny.
- 660. Holloway.
Heaton and Sons
- 9. Anderson, D.
- 17. Annand, Smith & Co.
- 21. Ashton, H. (Pence).
- 30. Bateman, Wm., Junr.
- 31. Battle and Weight.
- 59. Campbell, James.
- 155. Grundy, J. R.
- 291. Iredale & Co.
- 299. Jamieson, W. W., & Co.
- 305. Jones, T. W., & Co.
- 349. Martin, John.
- 350. Martin and Sach.
- 356. Mather, R. Andrew.
- 363. Merrington, J. H.
- 391. Moubray, Lush & Co.
- 409. Parker, R.
- 479. Smith, Peate & Co.
- 567. Taylor, Alfred.
- 615. Weight and Johnson.
Pope & Co.
- 44. Booth, I.
- 658. Pope & Co.
- 104. De Carle, E. & Co. (Melbourne and Plenty).
Smith and Kemp.
- 375. Miller and Dismorr.
Todeman
- 276. Hurley & Co.
Thornthwaite, J. C.
- 5. Allen, John.
- 6. Allen, William.
- 43. Bell and Gardner.
- 426. Peek & Co.
- 578. Thornthwaite, J. C.
- 685. Campbell, J. (Silver 3d.)
Hogarth, Erichsen & Co.
- 686. (Silver 3d.)
Whitty and Brown
- 623. Whitty and Brown.
- 628. Ram series.
- 632. ONE PENNY series.
- 635. Copy of Taylor, ONE PENNY
Coard
- 11. Andrew, J., & Co.
- 254. Hodgson, A. G.
Taylor, W. J.
- 1. Abrahams, R.
- 3. Adamson, Watts, McKechnie & Co.
- 19. Ashton, H. (Halfpence).
- 49. Brookes, W. and B.
- 51. Butterworth & Co.
- 65. Clarkson, S.
- 84. Crombie, Clapperton & Co.
- 98. Day and Mieville.
- 99. Dease, E. F.
- 101. De Carle, E., & Co.
- 105. De Carle, Edwd., & Co.
- 122. Fisher.
- 123. Flavelle Bros.
- 130. Forsaith, T. S.
- 133. Friedman, I.
- 142. Gaisford and Edmonds.
- 159. Hall, H. J.
- 184. Hanks & Co.
- 188. Hanks and Lloyd.
- 195. Harrold Bros.
- 196. Hedberg, O. H.
- 226. Henry, Saml.
- 227. Hide and De Carle.
- 278. Hutton, G.
- 280. Hyde, Robt., & Co.
- 308. Jones and Williamson.
- 313. Larcombe & Co.
- 315. Lazarus, S. and S.
- 320. Levy Bros.
- 321. Levy, Lipman.
- 364. Merry and Bush.
- 366. Merry, T. F., & Co.
- 385. Morgan, Wm.
- 392. Mulligan, D. T.
- 406. Nokes, James.
- 435. Perkins & Co.
- 437. Petersen, W.
- 438. Pettigrew & Co.
- 440. Petty, Geo.
- 650. Peace and Plenty.
- 464. Rocke & Co.
- 505. Stewart and Hemmant.
- 571. Taylor, W. J.
- 576. Thomas, T. W., & Co.
- 584. Thrale and Cross.
- 586. Toogood, A.
- 592. Wallace, James.
- 603. Warnock Bros.
- 620. White, Thos. and Son.
- 639. Wilson, A. S.
Stokes, Thomas
- 3. Adamson, Watts, McKechnie & Co.
- 7. Alliance Tea Co. III. Dixon, James.
- 28. Barraclough.
- 32. Beath & Co.
- 42. Beaven, S.
- 45. Brickhill, Joseph.
- 57. Calder. R.
- 62. Caro & Co.
- 64. Clark, Archibald.
- 72. Collins & Co.
- 75. Cook, W. C.
- 76. Coombes, S.
- 80. Cope, T. H.
- 84. Crombie, Clapperton & Co
- 86. Crothers & Co.
- 90. Davey, James.
- 91. Davidson, A.
- 94. Davies, Alfred.
- 106. Deeble, S.
- 118. Evans and Foster.
- 122. Fisher.
- 141. Froomes, W.
- 145. Gippsland Co.
- 149. Gittos, B.
- 153. Grieve, R.
- 159. Hall, H. J.
- 260, Hodgson Bros.
- 265. Hosie, J.
- 318. Leeson, J. D.
- 333. Love and Roberts.
- 359. McCaul, Geo.
- 371. Miller Bros.
- 392. Mulligan.
- 395. Murray and Christie.
- 404. Nichols, Geo.
- 406. Nokes.
- 433. Peck, Hugh.
- 437. Petersen.
- 438. Pettigrew.
- 447. Reece, Edward.
- 453. Ridler, R. B.
- 458. Robison Bros.
- 467. Ryland, G.
- 468. Sawyer.
- 469. Smith, Hague.
- 501. Southward and Sumpton.
- 503. Stead Bros.
- 508. Stokes, Thomas.
- 568. Taylor, J.
- 584. Thrale and Cross.
- 594. Warburton, T.
- 611. Watson, W. R., & Co.
- 638. Williams, J. W., & Co.
Stokes and Martin
- 216. Henderson, John.
- 249. Hobday and Jobberns.
- 263. Holland and Butler.
- 354. Mason, Struthers & Co.
- 566. Stokes and Martin.
- 588. Union Bakery Co. 609. Waters, Edward.
Uncertain
- 27. Barley, Chas. C.
- 46. Brookes.
- 50. Brown and Duthie.
- 56. Buxton.
- 69. Clarkson and Turnbull.
- 82. Crocker and Hamilton.
- 95. Davies, Alexander & Co.
- 120. Fenwick Bros.
- 128. Fleming, J. G.
- 143. Gilmour, John.
- 150. Gourlay & Co.
- 152. Gratten, R.
- 225. Henry, R.
- 248. Hindmarsh Hotel.
- 273. Howell, John.
- 300. Jarvey, W. Andrew.
- 304. Jones, David.
- 309. Josephs, R.
- 311. Kirkcaldie and Stains.
- 319. Leigh, J. M.
- 329. Lipscombe, H. No.
- 331. Lloyd, E. F. and D. L.
- 339. Macgregor, J.
- 341. Marks, Morris.
- 342. Marsh and Brother.
- 353. Mason and Culley.
- 360. McFarlane, H.
- 362. Mears, J. W.
- 369. Metcalfe and Lloyd.
- 376. Milner and Thompson
- 384. Moir, Joseph.
- 387. Morrin & Co.
- 400. Nicholas, Alfred.
- 408. Palmer.
- 443. Pratt, W.
- 494. Shreeve, Noah (Adelaide).
- 497. Somerville, M.
- 590. United Service Hotel.
- 606. Waterhouse, R. S.
- 640. Wood, W. D.
- 659. Hodgins, Clochjordan.
