Tokens And Special Purpose Coins Of New Zealand

Tokens don't interest me that much, but I like that first one.
Thanks for sharing.


Steve :)

Fascinating!

I also like the Alliance Tea token.

Very interesting for me as one of my ancestors moved to NZ from Oxford, England in the mid-19th century.

While I have a couple of dozen of the mid-1800's New Zealand tokens to drop into this forum from time to time, my contribution today is slightly more modern: a Wanganui Cosmopolitan Club threepence token from 1905.

The Cosmopolitan Club, one of many branches scattered around the world, is still in existence in what is now known as Whanganui on New Zealand's North Island. Back in 1905, when it was less than 20 years old, it was a civic/social organization that seems to have focused on formal banquets, cricket matches and sailing regattas, but now in the 21st century they've teamed up with other groups and appear to serve primarily as a social club and service resource for military veterans.



The original Cosmopolitan Club as it appears today in downtown Whanganui, now a town of about 42,000 people.

Daltonista - yes totally, those Cosmo club tokens are very collectible and come into the 2nd type of these tokens, which were either tokens offering a free sample of something or a the price of a drink, bar of soap, bread etc. These are all after 1897 as it was illegal to use them as money outside the venue on them.

There is also a 6d token of this type too. Also in NZ we consider Whanganui a city with a population of around 55k.

The third type which I also have some examples of is company scrip tokens. These are big in America and Europe too, but here was mostly Farmer's co op tokens paid to labourers and share milkers in the 1920 - 1950 period. The tokens were base metal and went up to 40/- (£2) in some cases. They were used for purchases at company stores.

And now, for our FOURTH Maori portrait of the day, we have my fairly beat-up undated penny issued by Edward Waters, an Auckland confectioner (Wholesale and Retail). If this were in better condition we'd see more ornamentation and tatooing on the head.
Renniks 582; Andrews 610; KM Tn70.2 (33mm, issued late 1850's - early 1860's)

My initial starting stake is 6 tokens and 5 Scrip pieces of the early- mid 1900s.

I have already got a 7th token! This will be an ongoing project and I will be revisiting tokens already shown as I find out more about them.




Grattan - Thames Hotel Token, 1872 - One Penny Bronze, dented but essentially Fine condition.

This is a standard token which has lettering one side and a weird image on the other. It shows a Maori rowing a dog headed canoe. Never in the history of all things Maori has there been a waka (Canoe) with a dogs head on it or carved into it - was it some misguided idea that Maori's were Vikings of the sunrise. Closed up ferns also add romance to it.

The Thames Hotel was anything but Romantic. It sat in downtown Auckland difrectly across from the wharfs that brought in miners from the Goldfields of the Thames region (Coromandel). There was a HUGE goldrush there between 1867 and 1875 and really people hit paydirt there through to the Depression.


The Thames Hotel, Auckland 1868 - 1925 - Photo Source Auckland Museum. Photo around 1915 possibly by Sidney Smith or Zacharias. It is the 3 story building at left.

Grattan ran the hotel which was notorious for fights and people getting bottled (Hence the munted looking token). Gold miners and wharfies used it a lot and it featured in many police pages. The building was demolished in 1925 to make way for the 10 story Dilworth building still there now.

The building shown though may not have been the one there in the 1870s and probably dated from the 1880s or later.

Token Conditions

One thing you may have noticed about the tokens so far is the condition. Many of the coins were issued in copper rather than bronze and they are heavily worn, add to that corrosion, pitting and verdigris.

Bear in mind these are low value, base metal coins that are now some 150 years old on average! It is not your standard blingy gold or silver coin - this is realmoney for real people!

In reality most of my tokens are above average examples and have collectible qualities. Many of these tokens were used extensively and most of them are in VG or Good condition. The Bertrand catalogue grades them in VG, Fine and Very Fine, often a VG coin costs 50 - 30% of a Fine and that ratio again for a VF coin.

ETC - VG $10, Fine $25, VF $60.

Many coins in higher grades like EF are quite rare and a truly EF example of that token would be like $200. Uncirculated are truly unknown.


These tokens would grade Fine and good Very Good, even with darkening and corrosion.


These for Victuallers tokens would grade left to right - Fine, VG, Good corroded and about Fine - I have long since sold these coins.

As the coins were minted privately, no one knows actual numbers minted, but guesses suggest no more than a few thousands to 10 thousand of the most common (Advance New Zealand, Auckland Licensed Victuallers) to just a few hundred of the rare ones. Holloways and Australian ones are much more common (Possibly 1 million Holloways in total).

Generally stained coins are less desirable but not as penalised as for standard coins given these tokens saw heavy used, were brown (Lots of mud on those 19th century roads and dirt), low value and low mintage. My Milner and Thompson coin is stained, but still a VF coin.



Most tokens in VG or even Good (Worn and corroded) are worth a few bucks, but Fine and VF coins like mine are worth real cash. Except for the Thames Hotel which is damaged about Fine, mine are all VF or better, the 1858 coin is a high Fine - but relatively clean by standards of the time.

The next coin is a common token, but because its almost EF, it is scarce in that condition and almost unique for these tokens. You will love it.

General rules

Good - The token will have the lettering quite faded and weak, but apart from the centre should be readable, corrosion and pitting common. Not nice, but better than nothing and good for a rare piece.

VG - All lettering is clear but weak, any images will be a weak outline with limited detail. Weak strikes may have blank letters. An acceptable coin.

Fine - Lettering should be very clear and sharp in parts, all major detail is clear and some fine detail - etc harilines and lines on boxes, scales, leaves etc. A decent piece.

VF - All lettering and major detail sharp, most minor details are clear or at least visible, coin can have no shine or lustre and be dark. Intricate details can be blurred or weak. A desirable example.

EF - A token in this condition is a delight, there should be lustre, sharp details of all types, bold lettering and great eye appeal. Such a token should show light wear in parts - but essentially a nice piece that is very collectible.