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A Issued By Hobart, Australia

Token - 1 Penny, W.D. Wood, Montpellier Retreat Inn, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, circa 1854 Reg. No: NU 11658

Summary:: Australia Tasmania Hobart
W.D. Wood Token Penny c. 1854
Mint: Uncertain British

Standard References: Andrews 641 = Heyde 279
Other Details: W.D. Wood ran the Montpellier Retreat Inn in Hobart Town and was a wine and spirit merchant. This token was struck with dies B/2, see References for details of die identification.
Description:: A round copper token (34 mm diameter) featuring the name, address and business of the company which issued the tokens: W.D. Wood, Montpellier Retreat Inn, Hobart Town, wine and spirit merchant. The reverse features a corner view of the inn with the front door open aflag staff and trees can be seen above the building. This token has been cleaned and the reverse re-roned light green.
Acquisition Information:: Transfer from Melbourne Branch of Royal Mint, 1978

Discipline:	Numismatics
Dimensions:	34 mm (Diameter)
Weight:	18.418 g (Weight)

More information

Tagged with:	hotels, inns, wine spirit merchants
Themes this item is part of:	W.D. Wood, Hotelier, Montpellier Retreat Inn, Hobart, Tasmania (1821-1866), Numismatics & Philately Collection, Sustainable Futures Collection, Working Life & Trades Collection, Royal Mint, Melbourne Branch, Melbourne, Victoria, Branch Mints of the Royal Mint, Deputy Masters of the Melbourne Branch of the Royal Mint, Closure of Melbourne Mint, Melbourne Mint during World War II, Establishment of Melbourne Mint, 1872, Melbourne Mint
Primary Classification:	TRADE TOKENS
Secondary Classification:	Australia - Tasmania
Tertiary Classification:	working strikes
Series:	Trade Tokens
DateEra:	circa 1854 AD
Denomination:	1 Penny
Obverse Description:	Legend in seven lines, ONE PENNY TOKEN / PAYABLE / ON DEMAND HERE / MONTPELLIER RETREAT / INN / HOBART TOWN / W.D. WOOD
Reverse Description:	Corner view of hotel with flag-pole and trees behind; above, MONTPELLIER RETREAT INN; below, W.D. WOOD
Edge Description:	Plain
Inscriptions:	Obverse: ONE PENNY TOKEN PAYABLE ON DEMAND HERE MONTPELLIER RETREAT INN HOBART TOWN W.D. WOOD Reverse: MONTPELLIER RETREAT INN W.D. WOOD
Shape:	Round
Material:	Copper
Issued By:	W Wood - Montpellier Retreat Inn, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 1850-1855
Previous Collection:	Royal Mint, Melbourne Branch
References:	Andrews 641 = Heyde 279 Wood issued two types of penny tokens. The one, dated 1855 is classified as dies A/1 as dated pieces are listed before undated in Andrews. However the heavier weight of this, the second type, argues that it is the earlier, dies B/2. Further, it offers the statement "payable on demand here Montpellier Retreat Inn" also suggesting an earlier issue. The halfpenny denomination was also issued at the same time (see NU 4560).
Bibliography:	[Book], Dr Arthur Andrews, Australasian Tokens and Coins, Trustees of the Mitchell Library, Sydney, Sydney, 1921 [Book], Dion Skinner - Renniks & Co Pty Ltd, Gilbert Heyde, Unofficial Coins of Colonial Australia and New Zealand, 1967