Stead Bros - Grocers
Description
The three Stead brothers came to Victoria in the early 1850s from Leeds in England, according to Gardner. The Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV) records of immigration to Victoria do not indicate that three men of that name arrived on the same ship before 1858. They established themselves as 'fruiterers, grocers and produce merchants' in Bendigo soon afterwards. Their shop was in the Pall Mall, in a building next door to the Lyceum Theatre.
Evidence from newspapers and directories shows that the brothers were active in their business through the 1860s. Between 1862 and 1864 (possibly starting earlier) they maintained a store at 47 Swanston Street, Melbourne, as well as their main shop in Pall Mall, Sandhurst (Bendigo). From 1865 they were using H. Box & Co.'s premises as their Melbourne address.
John Stead ran the Bendigo side of the business, his brothers looking after the Melbourne depot. The brothers ran a number of teams between the two cities, receiving, according to Gardner, up to £120 per ton carted.
Gardner states that John ran the business for a relatively short time before handing it over to his brother-in-law's management. In the 1870s he visited his home town, returning to Bendigo after some time, dying there in 1889. Of his brothers, one is said to have died in Australia while the other returned to England.
The Steads issued two tokens in 1862. Both tokens had the same obverse, describing the location and nature of their business. The reverses used two of Thomas Stokes' stock patterns, the Australian Arms, and 'In Vino Veritas'.
Stead Bros - Grocers values and prices
The value of an Australian token depends on several factors such as quality and wear, supply and demand, rarity, finish and more.
- Circulated
- Uncirculated
| Varieties | AG-3 | G-4 | VG-8 | F-12 | VF-20 | EF-40 | AU-50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coat of Arms | - | - | - | $850 | $1,700 | $2,710 | $4,520 |
| Vine Branch | - | - | - | $116 | $255 | $447 | $1,200 |
| Varieties | MS-60 | MS-62 | MS-63 | MS-64 | MS-65 | MS-66 | MS-67 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coat of Arms | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vine Branch | $2,320 | $3,440 | - | - | - | - | - |
Specifications
Coat of Arms
- Mint : Stokes
- Denomination : Penny
- Renniks #: 487
- Andrews #: 503
- Gray #: 251
Vine Branch
- Mint : Stokes
- Stokes type: Vine Branch 2
- Denomination : Penny
- Renniks #: 486
- Andrews #: 504
- Gray #: 252
Last update : Tuesday, May 14, 2024
