This was not really a coin, but a coin-shaped ingot guaranteed to be worth a pound. The Colony of South Australia backed their valuation by giving exact details of the purity (22 carats) and weight (5 pennyweight and 15 grains) of the piece. It was made from gold brought to South Australia from the Victorian goldfields in 1852. Although production was technically illegal, these pieces were made by the South Australian government to solve a major problem in the local economy caused by people leaving for the gold fields and taking most of the colony's money with them. By the time the written request for authority to make the pieces had arrived in England and the refusal returned to Adelaide, the Assay Office had opened, solved the problem by issuing the tokens and closed.

Click to enlarge. (101kb)

Click to enlarge. (104kb)


Obverse – At the centre is a crown above the date 1852. Around it is the legend GOVERNMENT ASSAY OFFICE ADELAIDE.		Reverse – At the centre is the legend VALUE ONE POUND and around it, WEIGHT 5 DWT: 15 GRS: 22 CARATS.

Transferred from National Gallery of Victoria, 1976