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1 Penny - Clarkson, S. Christchurch
| Issuer | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Year | 1875 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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| Obverse description | A seated allegorical female figure of Commerce or Britannia occupies the central field, draped in classical robes, holding a balance scale in her raised right hand and resting her left arm upon a cornucopia. A sailing ship appears in the left background at the waterline, evoking maritime trade. The legend NEW ZEALAND arcs across the upper field in bold raised letters, while the date 1875 is displayed in the lower exergue. The design is contained within a beaded border. |
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| Obverse lettering | NEW ZEALAND 1875 |
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| Additional information |
Clarkson's penny is a tradesman's token issued by S. Clarkson of Christchurch during the chronic small-change shortage that plagued New Zealand's South Island well into the 1870s. The colonial government's official coinage supply was perpetually inadequate for retail commerce, and merchants routinely commissioned private copper tokens to fill the gap — a practice tolerated rather than encouraged by authorities. Andrews catalogues this piece as #65; Robson's independent numbering at #76 reflects how thoroughly these provincial tokens have been worked over by two generations of specialist collectors.