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1 Penny Somerville, M. - Auckland
| Issuer | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Year | 1857 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 16 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | NEW ZEALAND 1857 |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | M.SOMERVILLE WHOLESALE FAMILY GROCER CITY MART AUCKLAND |
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| Additional information |
Somerville & Co. were Auckland importers and general merchants who issued this token during the severe small-change shortage that plagued New Zealand's colonial economy in the 1850s. The colonial government had no mint, British regal coinage was chronically undersupplied, and private traders across Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin filled the gap themselves. Somerville's issue falls under Rennick's 481–484 range, indicating multiple die combinations exist — collectors assembling a complete set of the type will find certain pairings considerably harder to locate than others.