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1/2 Penny - Robert Hyde and Co. 1857 Melbourne, Victoria
| Issuer | Robert Hyde & Co. |
|---|---|
| Year | 1857 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | Andrews#281, 282, R#287, 288, Gray#140, 140a |
| Obverse description | The obverse is entirely typographic in design, featuring a central legend arranged in five lines within a raised inner circle: GENERAL MARINE STORE above a horizontal rule, followed by SHIPPERS OF RAGS GLASS METALS &C. The merchant's name ROBERT HYDE & CO and the location MELBOURNE arc around the full circumference as a peripheral legend between the inner circle and the beaded border. The field is flat and unadorned, with all lettering in bold serifed capitals. The coin is bordered by a continuous beaded rim. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | PEACE & PLENTY ADVANCE AUSTRALIA 1857 |
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| Additional information |
Robert Hyde & Co. operated as an ironmonger and general hardware merchant in Melbourne during the gold rush years, when the Victorian colonial economy was absorbing tens of thousands of arrivals and official small change was chronically short. The copper token trade filled that gap — privately issued, locally redeemable, and tolerated by authorities who had no immediate solution to the shortage.
The Andrews and Renniks references cite two distinct varieties for this issue, distinguished by minor die differences that suggest separate production runs, possibly from different Birmingham die-cutters supplying the Australian trade simultaneously.