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1 Penny - Robert Hyde and Co. 1861 Melbourne, Victoria
| Issuer | Robert Hyde & Co. |
|---|---|
| Year | 1861 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Penny (1⁄240) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is entirely typographic in design, bearing no pictorial device. The peripheral legend ROBERT HYDE & CO and MELBOURNE curves along the upper and lower portions of the coin respectively, separated from the central field by a continuous beaded border. Within the central field, arranged in stacked lines, the trade inscription reads GENERAL MARINE STORE, followed by a horizontal rule, and below it SHIPPERS OF RAGS GLASS METALS & C. The composition is purely commercial in character, serving as an advertisement for the issuing firm. |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Robert Hyde & Co. operated as an ironmonger and general hardware merchant in Melbourne during the colonial period, and their 1861 penny token belongs to the dense ecosystem of private tradesman's tokens that flooded Victoria following chronic shortages of British regal copper. The colonial authorities had little appetite for solving the small-change problem quickly, which left merchants to fill the gap themselves — legally tolerated until the Queensland and Victorian governments moved to suppress private token issues in the mid-1860s.
The Andrews and Gray reference splits across two varieties, likely distinguished by die differences in the border or lettering. Collectors should verify which variety is in hand before cataloging.