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1 Penny - Gittos, B. Auckland
| Issuer | B. Gittos, Auckland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1864 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | R#149, R#154, Gray#84 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse field is entirely filled with a multi-line inscription in raised capital Roman lettering arranged in horizontal lines, reading WHOLESALE & RETAIL / LEATHER & / GRINDERY / STORES / WYNDHAM STREET / AUCKLAND / N.Z. / 1864, identifying the nature, location, and date of the issuing establishment. The legend WHOLESALE & RETAIL curves along the upper periphery following the contour of the beaded inner border. The date 1864 appears prominently at the base of the field. As on the obverse, no pictorial device is present, and the composition is strictly typographic, consistent with the austere commercial style of New Zealand provincial trade tokens of this period. |
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| Mintage | 1864 - A149/R154 |
| Additional information |
Benjamin Gittos operated a general store in Auckland during the early 1860s, a period when the provincial government's failure to supply adequate small change forced New Zealand merchants to commission their own copper tokens from British manufacturers — almost certainly Heaton's Mint in Birmingham, the dominant supplier for antipodean trade tokens of this decade. The colonial banking infrastructure simply couldn't keep pace with a gold rush economy and the demands of the Waikato Land Wars period, which disrupted normal commerce throughout the North Island.
The Reiter references R#149 and R#154 suggest at least two distinct varieties exist for this issuer, likely differing in die details or edge treatment.