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Medal - Cessation of Transportation to Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia, 1853 Reg. No: NU 34772

Summary:: Australia Tasmania
Cessation of Transportation to Tasmania 1853 (AD)
Mint: Royal, London
Other Details: This medal was struck to commemorate the end of transportation of convicts to Tasmania in 1853. It also marked fifty years since European settlement in Tasmania. News of the British decision to send no more convicts first reached Tasmania via Melbourne. It came from London on the steamer Harbinger and transferred to Launceston on the Yarra Yarra. At celebrations in Tasmania, children were given a piece of Demonstration Cake and a ticket entitling them to a medal. Nine thousand white metal medals were struck and an additional 100 were produced in bronze for people who had rendered services to the anti-transportation cause. 4,000 of the white metal medals were distributed in Hobart, 3,000 in Launceston, and the remainder to country districts. The medal was initially enclosed in a maroon morocco case. Transportation continued in Western Australia until 1868. When it finally ceased throughout Australia, around 162,000 convicts had been transported.
Acquisition Information:: Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 1976

Themes this item is part of:	Public Life & Institutions Collection, Transport Collection, Royal Mint, London, HM Queen Victoria (1819-1901), Royal Mint, Tower Hill, 1809-1975, Early History of London Mints, to 1300, The Royal Mint
Primary Classification:	MEDALS
Secondary Classification:	Commemorative
Tertiary Classification:	convict transportation
Series:	Commemorative
DateEra:	1853 AD
Obverse Description:	Head of Victoria laureate left; above, VICTORIA QUEEN; below, MDCCCLIII
Reverse Description:	Australian Arms with emu and kangaroo supporters; around, CESSATION OF TRANSPORTATION 1853; in exergue, TASMANIA FOUNDED 1803
Edge Description:	Plain
Inscriptions:	Plain (edge) Head of Victoria laureate left; above, VICTORIA QUEEN; below, MDCCCLIII (obverse) Australian Arms with emu and kangaroo supporters; around, CESSATION OF TRANSPORTATION 1853; in exergue, TASMANIA FOUNDED 1803 (reverse)
Shape:	round
Material:	White Metal
Issued By:	Tasmanian Committee, Tasmania, Australia
Mint:	Royal Mint, London
Person Depicted:	HM Queen Victoria
References:	Car.1853/2
Bibliography:	[Catalogue] Morrison, Ian. 2003. The Baker of Maldon. [Article] 1994. Cessation of Transportation Medal. Australian Coin Review. (361)