Australasian Tokens and Coins
Designs on Copper Tokens
It has been pointed out (Roth and Hull) that the designs on the copper tokens can mostly be arranged in three groups, according as they are Local, Home, or Allegorical in their significance. Of the Local group the representation of the Australian Arms comes easily first. In its earliest form (THORNTHWAITE, No. 578) the emu is on the left and the kangaroo on the right. The shield is quartered by plain lines in the form of a cross, and it bears as quarterings, a ship, a fleece, an anchor, and an ox.
A few years later we find the same maker placing the emu on the right and kangaroo on the left, the shield quartered by double lines forming bands with stars at the points and the intersection (No. 582) and a scroll under with ADVANCE AUSTRALIA on it. The rising sun as crest in both cases. Whether the stars were intended as a reference to the Southern Cross or the five Colonies then existing cannot be decided. Of the quarterings the ship runs through the whole series, and appears alone on No. 346 with the legend TO FACILITATE TRADE to explain its significance. The golden fleece also runs through the series and is found alone on the issues of DAVIES, ALEXANDER & Co. (No. 95), and E. F. DEASE (No. 99). The ox was soon replaced by a wheatsheaf, probably indicating that in the eyes of city people the farming was more important than the pastoral interest. The anchor was also replaced by a pick and shovel, indicating the importance of the mining interests.
As time passed, the engravers became impressed by the importance of the Supporters, and we find the shield of Arms disappear, leaving the kangaroo and emu alone as on No. 1, and further the kangaroo alone, as No. 573 of W. J. TAYLOR. The emu also appears alone on STEWART AND HEMMANT (No. 505).
The rising sun as a crest gave way to the fully risen orb on the pieces of WARNOCK BROS. (No. 603), and in Western Australia to a swan in No. 216, and the latter forms the full design on No. 94.
The motto on the scroll reads variously as ADVANCE AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA, or BALLARAT, and on No. 216 becomes TANDEM MOVETUR. On many of the Stokes issues we find a rose, shamrock, and thistle below, and sometimes also above the scroll with varied arrangements of the leaves and tendrils. Lastly, we find the emu and rising sun with or without the rose, shamrock, and thistle below the scroll, with instances of thirteen or fifteen long rays to the sun.
Other strictly Local designs we have in the form of views of places, as in No. 50, a representation of Mt. Egmont : No. 69, the breakwater at Timaru ; a mining plant on MCCAUL (No. 359): landscape on MILNER AND THOMPSON (No. 376): a view of a toll-gate JOSEPHS (No. 309). There are also illustrations of the places of business of the issuers, as the TEA STORES of PEEK AND CAMPBELL (No. 426); the Montpellier Retreat Inn (No. 640); Regent House of CROCKER AND HAMILTON (No. 83); Argyle House, named after a Clan, on No. 32; the Liverpool Tea Warehouse with the City's arms (No. 40); and the crest of Liverpool on No. 275.
Symbols of trade are also found, as the three balls of a pawnbroker on Nos. 300 and 341, musical instruments on MILNER AND THOMPSON'S (No. 376); a tobacco plant on GRUNDY (No. 155), &c. A long list of articles dealt in could be added, such as a saw, buggy, baby jumper, clock, watch, coin press, cup, flowers and fruit, painter's palette, sugar-loaf, saddle, and agricultural implements.
Portraits of the issuers appear on COOMBES (No. 76); WHITTY AND BROWN (No. 623), and the very common HOLLOWAY pieces, which when suppressed in England were exported in thousands to these and other colonies.
Three commemorative pieces must be mentioned-HANKS AND LLOYD (No. 188), noting the opening of the. Sydney Railway in 1855; the NOKES (No. 406), and THOMAS (No. 576) halfpence, the landing of Sir Charles Hotham in Melbourne in 1854.
Of what have been called Home designs, which are almost of a national character, are the various representations of Britannia, the Royal Arms on No. 101, the portraits of Queen Victoria as on No. 120, the Prince Consort on No. 470, and the GOD SAVE THE QUEEN found on the penny of C. C. BARLEY (No. 27). With these may be included the various groups of rose, shamrock, and thistle on SOMERVILLE (No. 497), and others.
Among Allegorical designs are the standing figure of Justice blindfolded, with scales in the right hand and the left resting on the point of a cornucopia from which fruits are issuing, the sea and a ship in the background. We have also in many cases a figure of Justice seated on a bale, with similar surroundings as in No. 318, we have the sea and ship replaced by a Maori and a digger shaking hands. In No. 360 we have a supposed representation of Peace in a very benign-looking female facing front, an olive branch in the right hand, the left resting on the head of a lamb, while from behind her on the right side a most benevolent-looking lion is emerging, round above is PEACE & PLENTY, indicative of a lively hope of future blessings. Then we have Stokes' series of vine branches with the motto IN VINO VERITAS, as so many have proved to their ultimate discomfort. On the Holloway pieces, as has been before mentioned, we have the figure of Hygeia with her attributes.
The standing figure of Justice occurs so often that it is worthy of more than cursory note. This design was used by Heaton and Sons evidently as a stock piece, and there is good evidence that the dies used in preparing the tokens they provided were almost all made from a master die. Mr. Chitty lately pointed out that a careful examination of the fruits failing from the cornucopia would disclose the presence of a very minute G, probably the die-sinker's initial. The design is used in fully fifty varieties, and in no less than forty-two is this small letter found. The exceptions are the large series of R. PARKER (Nos. 417 to 422), and GRUNDY (Nos. 157-8). Other slight differences can be discerned, as the right hand and wrist are straighter and not so graceful and the fruits vary considerably. The ship is nearer the edge of the coin and the masts are all of the same height.
The figure of Justice seated on a bale with a cask behind is met with almost as frequently. This evidently was a favourite stock design by W. J. Taylor, but it shows more variation of the dies. In a decided majority of instances, as well shown on the HIDE & DE CARLE pieces (No. 227 et seq.), the hair is confined to two stiff curls covering the ears, the neck is thin and rather long, the fruits falling from the cornucopia extend to the front of the bale and the point does not reach the elbow. In JONES & WILLIAMSON (No. 308), the neck is shorter, the hair fuller, the point of the cornucopia in the bend of the elbow, while the fruits extend only half way across the bale. In E. DE CARLE & Co., Dunedin (No. 101), the face is turned slightly to the right and the fruit again extends to the front of the bale. Then in Coard's named pieces we have the same design with flowing hair, fuller drapery, the cask tapering, the bale almost covered by the drapery, and the fruits larger and passing the front of the bale. There is also another variety in Nos. 65 and 142, which show almost as much hair as Coard's pieces, but the cornucopia point is more curved and curls past the elbow, while the fruits differ largely.
With both these designs of Justice, many slight variations of the relative positions of the scales and the legends will be found noted in the following pages. These slight differences are evidently due to the use of a master die for the figure, from which all those used were prepared, and the legend was added to the latter as required. It was naturally impossible for anyone to always place the letters in the same position relatively to the figure, and hence the number of varieties of some issues which have to be listed.
W. J. Taylor also in the PETTY pieces (No. 440) gives us a varied standing figure of Justice not blindfolded, holding the scales in the right hand and a wand in the left. The base is plain and there is no indication of sea or ship.
Whitty and Brown appear to have been satisfied to copy roughly the Heaton design, but their imitation is very crude. On their tokens bearing either a portrait of one of the firm, a ram, or their ONE PENNY series, which have narrow folds of drapery, the head is long, and there is no bandage over the eyes, while in those with wider folds of drapery the head is short and the bandage very evident.
Another Local design very commonly found is what is known as the PEACE & PLENTY illustration of the Australian Arms, with the kangaroo to right and emu to left, and the fully risen sun as crest. This design by Taylor was certainly used by Stokes in later years for the extensive series listed among the Miscellaneous Class Nos. 650 to 656, he having probably obtained the dies from Taylor. This design appears on the tokens of twelve issuers, with practically no variation. On No. 656 there will be noticed more space between the back of the emu and the commencement of the legend.
On the BEAVEN piece (No. 42), the scroll, strangely enough, bears the legend ADVANCE AUSTRALIA, hardly to be expected on a New Zealand issue. On No. 501 we have the ship in the upper left corner, a fleece on the right, the pick and shovel on the left below, and the wheatsheaf on the right. The kangaroo to left and emu to right are partly behind the shield, and on the scroll is ADVANCE BALLARAT. In still another case, J. SAWYER (No. 468), the kangaroo is on the right and emu on the left. There are only four stars on the shield. The supporters stand on a patch of grass, and the crest is a rising sun. Though this issue is credited to Stokes, the treatment of the grass is almost an exact copy of Taylor.
We must here note the various issues of Stokes, which all bear either the name of the person for whom they were made, or his own as the maker. There are at least seven different treatments of the Australian Arms and ten varieties of a vine branch with grapes, four differing illustrations of an emu and rising sun, and two of wheatsheaves, all emanating from his workshop, as will be described more fully later.
The design of a kangaroo and emu facing each other appears to have been first used by Taylor, as both he and Coard use it with almost identical details. Stokes used it later, and again the workmanship points to the dies having been prepared by Taylor. In the latter maker's own ONE PENNY series, No. 571, the kangaroo has a perfectly straight tail. In those he made for FLAVELLE BROS., (No. 132), it is slightly curved upwards. Coard in JOHN ANDREW & Co. and A. G. HODGSON (Nos. 13 and 257), shows a broader base and the cars of the kangaroo exaggerated in size. With Stokes, in those made for COLLINS & Co. (No. 72), the base is again smaller, the kangaroo and emu further apart, and the tail of the former well curved upwards.
There is also a group of four Tasmanian issues - L. ABRAHAMS (No. 1), HUTTON (No. 226), S. HENRY (No. 278), and THOMAS WHITE (No. 620), which were supplied by Stokes on which the kangaroo is found more naturally posed, the ears and head smaller, though the former give rather a foxy appearance to the animal. The grass is also more rush-like in character.
Of the Home or National designs, the figure of Britannia is the most important, and, appropriately enough, it appears on the earliest known issue, that of ANNAND, SMITH & Co. (No. 17), where it is an almost exact copy of that found on the copper issues of George III and his successors. Most of these were made in Birmingham, and hence probably its adoption by Heaton and Sons. The tokens bearing this design by this firm show but little variation, No. 17 having eleven leaves on the olive branch, No. 18 fourtcrn, while on the IREDALE (No. 291) there are twelve.
POPE & Co. (No. 658) used the same design on their own issue with a decidedly fuller bust and a different treatment of the base in that there are two dis- tinct stones behind the shield instead of a rock. They also have twelve leaves on the olive branch. With this the figure on E. DE CARLE & Co. (No. 104) and I. BOOTH (No. 41) is identical in all respects. Another treatment of the same subject is found on the iss'ies of ALFRED NICHOLAS (No. 401) and J. M. LEIGH (No. 319) where we find the head laureated, the hair brought to a decided knob at the top, the olive branch having eleven leaves on No. 401 and No. 319, while on No. 102 it has but ten. On the halfpenny of NICHOLAS (No. 403) there are only eight leaves.
Again we have a decided variation in the figure of Britannia on Moore's NEW ZEALAND penny, No. 399. This is one of the designs he submitted for a new Imperial coinage, but unsuccessfully. There Britannia appears helmeted with a trident in the right hand, a shield supported by the left, in which an olive branch is held, on her right an anchor, and behind the prow of a boat.
By far the most beautiful and artistic representation of Britannia is that by W. J. Taylor, on the pattern pence of Hedberg (Nos. 200, 201, and 203), LIPMAN LEVY (No. 324), and his proposed pattern for a copper fourpence, No. 781, Pl. 56. With slight variations in the accessories, the figure is the same in all. In No. 200 the rock on which she is seated is surrounded by the water, giving a somewhat corrugated appearance to the base. The wand touches the lowest point of the I of AUSTRALIA, and the tip of the olive branch is between the ST. It will be seen that the ship generally accompanying this design is here replaced by a steamer. In Nos. 201, 324, and the fourpence, the water does not surround the rock, the base is regular, and has W. J. TAYLOR, LONDON on it. The wand points to the base of I, and the leaves on the olive branch are differently arranged, with the three upper ones embracing the base of the S of AUSTRALIA. In No. 203 the broad, raised rim alters the appearance of the design, which is identical with that on No. 202, except that the maker's name and the steamer are omitted. It would appear that this was struck before the die was quite finished.
Taylor also used this design on his Melbourne halfpenny, and those he made for ADAMSON, WATTS, McKECHNIE & Co. (No. 3), and THRALE AND CROSS (No. 585), where the olive branch has fourteen leaves and two fruits on it.
J. C. Thornthwaite, in the issues he made for PEEK AND CAMPBELL, generally known as the Tea Stores pieces, placed an entirely different representation of Britannia helmeted, seated, looking to the right, with a shield on which she appears to be sitting steadied by the right hand, and in her left a trident.
It is only necessary here to mention that in a number of cases both sides of the tokens bear legends only, giving the style of business carried on, the place where they could be redeemed, and any other purely advertising matter which seemed good to the issuer. A few peculiarities of spelling should be mentioned, as on one of GRUNDY'S (No. 155), the place of issue is spelt BALLAARAT, and on No. 157 the last word of the legend is misspelt VINCET, instead of the correct VINCENT on No. 155. HENDERSON, of Fremantle, in No. 216, had originally two letters F in the name of the place, and one afterwards partially erased. On No. 196 we have HOBART TON for HOBART TOWN, and on MARSH AND BROTHER'S (No. 342), MURRY for MURRAY. On No. 101, E. DE CARLE & Co., Dunedin, have VIVANT REGINA, and, lastly, on THORNTHWAITE (No. 582), we find MEDALIST, and on No. 583, when inserting the second L, he makes it read MEDALL SIT. On No. 76 we find GRAHAM TOWN, which on No. 359 is spelt GRAHAMSTOWN with S and one word.
A general view of the various designs abovementioned leads us to the conclusion that, in most cases, the side which we have selected for the obverse was designed more or less in accordance with the ideas and wishes of the person responsible for their redemption, and as an advertising medium, while the reverse was often left to the discretion of the die-sinker employed. Hence the frequency with which certain designs appear-designs, too, already used by the makers of tokens for other colonies. The comparatively small orders received from Australian traders for use among the limited population would not strongly appeal to the larger class of manufacturers accustomed to supplying the wants of more numerous peoples.
