½ Penny - W.J. Taylor Melbourne; Victoria
Features
| Issuer |
Victoria
(Australian States)  |
|---|---|
| Type | Emergency coinage › Merchant tokens |
| Year | 1851 |
| Value | ½ Penny (1⁄480) |
| Currency | Pound sterling (1788-1900) |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 8.4 g |
| Diameter | 28.5 mm |
| Thickness | 1.75 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Demonetized | 1863 |
| Number | N# 47667 |
| References | Andrews# 573 Arthur Andrews; 1965. Australasian tokens and coins: a handbook . Trustees of the Mitchell Library, Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Michael T. Pitt, Paul Bickerton, Mike Loy, Simon Gray; 2012. Renniks Australian & New Zealand Tokens Values (1st edition). Renniks Publications, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.Simon Gray; 2013. A Study of Australasian Trade Tokens: An Illustrated Reference of the Merchants Tokens used in Colonial Australia & New Zealand. Self-published, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. , KM# Tn244 Standard Catalog of World Coins (86 volumes). |
Obverse
Kangaroo seated on tail in grassy field facing right.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
MELBOURNE
W.J. TAYLOR MEDALIST TO THE GREAT EXHIBITION.
1851
Engraver: William Joseph Taylor
Reverse
Woman seated on rock facing to left holding an olive branch extended in her right hand and resting a staff on her left forearm.
Script: Latin
Lettering: AUSTRALIA
Engraver: William Joseph Taylor
Edge
Plain
Mint
Kangaroo Office, Melbourne, AustraliaComments
W. J. Taylor and his business partners established the Kangaroo Office to take advantage of the explosive economic growth in Australia following the discovery of gold in 1851. They hoped to buy gold at greatly reduced prices from the gold fields and then release it at full value in the form of quarter-ounce, half-ounce, one ounce and two ounce gold coins. However due to the time required to travel between London and Melbourne, once the Kangaroo Office was ready for business in 1854, an increase in the number of British sovereigns, had seen the price of gold rise, and the potential profits for the Kangaroo Office sharply decline. Not deterred, in late 1954 Taylor prepare dies for a series of pattern copper tokens that it was hoped could be produced in Melbourne by the Kangaroo Office for circulation within Australia. It appears that this did not succeed, and in 1855 Taylor began to create shilling and sixpence patterns in silver. However the Kangaroo Office again failed to obtain authority to strike and circulate these silver tokens and in 1857 the Kangaroo Office closed.
See also
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| Date | VG | F | VF | XF | AU | UNC | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undetermined | |||||||||||||||
| 1851 | $ 40 | A573/R538 KM-Tn244Gray# 277; MC | |||||||||||||
Values in the table above are expressed in USD. They are based on evaluations by Numista users and sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only; they are not intended to be relied upon for buying, selling or exchanging. Numista does not buy or sell coins or banknotes.
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Numista Rarity index: 76
This index is based on the data of Numista members collections. It ranges from 0 to 100, 0 meaning a very common coin or banknote and 100 meaning a rare coin or banknote among Numista members.
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