Catalog
| Issuer | Tasmania |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Type | Emergency coin |
| Value | 1 Penny (1⁄240) |
| Currency | Pound sterling (1788-1900) |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 15 g |
| Diameter | 34 mm |
| Thickness | 2 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Engraver(s) | |
| In circulation to | |
| Reference(s) | Andrews#99, R#107, Gray#60 |
| Obverse description | Text only |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | WHOLESALE & RETAIL DRAPERY WAREHOUSE + BRISBANE ST. + ONE - E.F. DEASE - PENNY |
| Reverse description | Ram hanging by ribbon with pineapple at top |
| Reverse script | Latin |
| Reverse lettering | SIC VOS NON VOBIS VELLERA FERTIS OVES + |
| Edge | Milled |
| Mint | |
| Mintage |
ND - A-/R108 (7 spikes on top of Pineapple) - ND - A99/R107 (6 spikes on top of Pineapple) - |
| Numisquare ID | 6704206860 |
| Additional information |
Historical Context: This copper penny token, issued by E.F. Dease of Launceston, Tasmania, addressed the severe shortage of official small change in Australian colonies during the mid-19th century, under Queen Victoria. Private merchants, such as Dease, a draper in colonial Launceston, issued their own currency to facilitate daily commerce. These tokens guaranteed value for goods or redemption, proving indispensable to Tasmania's economic development and monetary system.
Artistry: The design of such colonial tokens embraced a utilitarian aesthetic, prioritizing clear identification of the issuer and denomination. While the engraver is often unrecorded, these tokens were produced by British or local die-sinkers, adopting a commercial stylistic school. Common Tasmanian