Description
Australia, Victoria, Eaglehawk, John Williams and George Williams (ironmongers, grocers, drapers, gold office, wine and spirit merchants, and colonial produce merchants), Copper Penny Trade / Advertising Token, undated (c.1858), minted by Thomas Stokes of Melbourne, obverse: GROCERS IRONMONGERS DRAPERS in three lines at the centre, J. W. & G. WILLIAMS in curved line above, EAGLE HAWK in curved line below, all within border of beads, reverse: COLONIAL PRODUCE in wavy lines at centre, WINE, SPIRIT MERCHANT in inner circle above and below, GOLD OFFICE at top, EAGLE HAWK at bottom, all within border of beads, edge plain, diam. 34mm.
John arrived in Melbourne from Yorkshire in 1849, his brother George joined him a year later and they tried their luck in the Bendigo gold fields, finally establishing a general store in Eaglehawk. The brothers worked their store until 1876 when they terminated their partnership. John continued in their original business and George opened another store in the same town (Dr Arthur Andrews, Australasian Tokens and Coins 638).
Spot of corrosion by “P” of DRAPERS on the obverse, otherwise extremely fine with lustre on the reverse, rare.
