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1/2 Penny - Brookes, W. & B. Brisbane, Queensland
| Issuer | Queensland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1863 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 19 g |
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| Obverse description | Plain field bearing an all-text design within a beaded border. The merchant's name 'W. & B. BROOKES' curves along the upper periphery, while 'BRISBANE' follows the lower arc. The word 'IRONMONGERS' is inscribed diagonally across the central field in bold raised letters, identifying the trade of the issuing firm. No pictorial device is present; the composition relies entirely on lettering for its design. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
William and Benjamin Brookes operated a general merchant and ironmongery business in Brisbane during the early 1860s, issuing tradesman's tokens when the colonial copper coinage supply remained chronically inadequate. Queensland had only separated from New South Wales in 1859, and the infant colony's currency infrastructure lagged badly behind its commercial activity. The Andrews, Ryland, and Gray references all catalogue this piece, suggesting it circulated widely enough to survive in reasonable numbers.
The 19-gram weight is notably heavy for a halfpenny token, placing it closer to the British imperial penny standard — a deliberate choice by some colonial issuers to discourage public rejection.