Coins and Australia - David Jones - Criterion Drapery - Commercial and merchant tokens

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David Jones - Criterion Drapery

David Jones - Criterion Drapery

Description

David Jones arrived in Victoria about 1850, according to Gardner. His store was, according to his token, established 1853.

His business was originally a partnership, located in Main Street, Ballarat as Hemmingway and Jones, drapers, mercers etc. The partnership was dissolved in the early 1860s. In 1858 their premises were destroyed by fire, along with fifteen other buildings. After the partnership was concluded, Jones built a store at the corner of Armstrong and Sturt Streets that he called Criterion House. He issued tokens bearing that address in 1862 and conducted his business from those premises until he retired in 1871. His listing in the 1862 Ballarat Directory gives his address as Sturt Street and Main Road, but his 1865 listing says Sturt Street, suggesting that Gardner's dates for his partnership and changes of address are likely to be correct.

His token, issued in 1862, is unusual inasmuch as on the reverse it bears an image of Criterion House, rather than any of the common symbolic figures (Justice, Britannia, Australia) or a coat of arms such as the 'Australian arms', or the Kangaroo and Emu. The tokens are thought to have been manufactured in England.

After retiring he married a widow and returned to England. He travelled the world, returning to Australia on one or two occasions. He died in about 1880. In a note published separately to his biography of Jones, Gardner mentions that according to a correspondent, Jones also kept a store at Magpie, on the road between Ballarat and Buninyong. No dates are given. John Hope's research indicates that Jones had the business at Magpie before he opened his store at Ballarat, i.e. between 1850 and 1853. His apprentice at Magpie was a young man named Robert Reid, who went on to establish 'Robert Reid & Co., Ltd.', a business with branches in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and London.

David Jones - Criterion Drapery 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.

Slide

Varieties AG-3 G-4 VG-8 F-12 VF-20 EF-40 AU-50
---$37.00$92.50$174$290
Varieties MS-60 MS-62 MS-63 MS-64 MS-65 MS-66 MS-67
$580$870-----

Specifications

  • Issuer: David Jones
  • Issuing date : 1862
  • Denomination : Penny
  • Composition: Copper
  • Die axis: ↑↑
  • Weight: 11.8 grams
  • Diameter: 32 mm
  • Edge: Smooth
  • Renniks #: 304
  • Andrews #: 304
  • Gray #: 148

Last update : Wednesday, January 19, 2022

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