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Medal - Kangaroo Office, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1853
Reg. No: NU 3051
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- Summary:
- Bronze Medal, minted by W.J. Taylor of London, circa 1853. The medal was used to promote the newly opened Kangaroo Office, in Melbourne, Victoria.
W. J. Taylor and his business partners established the Kangaroo Office to take advantage of the explosive economic growth in Australia following the discovery of gold in 1851. They hoped to buy gold at greatly reduced prices from the gold fields and then release it at full value in the form of quarter-ounce, half-ounce, one ounce and two ounce gold coins. However due to the time required to travel between London and Melbourne, once the Kangaroo Office was ready for business in 1854, an increase in the number of British sovereigns, had seen the price of gold rise, and the potential profits for the Kangaroo Office sharply decline. Not deterred, in late 1954 Taylor prepare dies for a series of pattern copper tokens that it was hoped could be produced in Melbourne by the Kangaroo Office for circulation within Australia. It appears that this did not succeed, and in 1855 Taylor began to create shilling and sixpence patterns in silver. However the Kangaroo Office again failed to obtain authority to strike and circulate these silver tokens and in 1857 the Kangaroo Office closed. - Description:
- A bronze medal (38 mm diameter) featuring a profile portrait of Queen Victoria and an image of the hand press sent to Melbourne on the Kangaroo.
- Acquisition Information:
- Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 1976
| Discipline: | Numismatics |
| Dimensions: | 38 mm (Diameter) |
| Weight: | 26.723 g (Weight) |
More information
| Tagged with: | australian native animals, exhibitions london international great exhibition 1851, exhibitions melbourne 1854 |
| Themes this item is part of: | Kangaroo Office Mint, Melbourne, Victoria, 1854-1857, Public Life & Institutions Collection, W.J.Taylor, Mint, London, United Kingdom |
| Primary Classification: | MEDALS |
| Secondary Classification: | Commemorative |
| Tertiary Classification: | governance |
| Series: | Promotional Medals |
| DateEra: | circa 1853 AD |
| Obverse Description: | Crowned head of Queen Victoria facing left; around aboive, VICTORIA; below in small letters the mint details, W.J. TAYLOR. LONDON |
| Reverse Description: | At centre a view of the hand opperated screw-press of the Kangaroo Office, around inside a broad rim, COINS MEDALS AND TRADESMEN'S TOKENS STRUCK; around all on broad rim, KANGAROO OFFICE * MELBOURNE * |
| Edge Description: | Plain |
| Inscriptions: | Obverse: VICTORIA W.J. TAYLOR. LONDON Reverse: KANGAROO OFFICE MELBOURNE COINS MEDALS AND TRADESMEN'S TOKENS STRUCK |
| Shape: | round |
| Material: | Bronze |
| Issued By: | Kangaroo Office (Mint), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Mint: | W.J.Taylor, Mint, England, Great Britain, 1853 |
| Commissioned By: | Kangaroo Office (Mint), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1853 |
| References: | And.784 |
| Bibliography: |
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Themes
This item is part of the following themes:
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