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 Replies: 10 / Views: 2,388 |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
In the first years of Colonial Australia, the currency system was a hodgepodge. Perhaps not too surprising.
In December 1825, that changed. A shipment of British sixpences and half crowns was landed in the Sydney Colony. It took about three years for all of the common circulating denominations that were circulating in Great Britain to be also circulating in Australia. Presumably, they were all newly minted coins delivered from London.
As an aside, the issue of copper pennies of 1827 from what I have been told, were all landed in the Colony of Hobart. I find that as odd. Hobart was a penal colony (only?). The commercial environment of Sydney in 1828 I would think, was far bigger and more dynamic. The 1827 copper penny is quite rare in Great Britain, but is only scarce in Australia, although it is usually found now in fairly poor condition.
From what I can surmise, by 1828, the common denominations that were circulating were:
sovereign
half sovereign
half crown
shilling
sixpence
penny
half penny
Although all of the coins mentioned in Governor King's Proclamation would have been around, I suspect that by 1828, they would have been withdrawn. The Proclamation coinage, however still turns up at auction in Australia.
The period from 1828 until 1855, when gold coins were issued from the Sydney Mint, is of particular interest to me.
My problem is that I know very little about this period, in the way British coins relate to Australia.
I would appreciate it, if there are others in the CCF that can add to this thread.
As a result of reading a link submitted by 'Australian coin', I can add the copper farthing to the bottom of the list. Edited by sel_69l
05/02/2011 12:23 am
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1244 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1244 Posts |
Great idea sharing Colonial Australia coin info sel_69l It would be great to see a proper timeline made up with what coins were being used for that time period. And having pictures of the coins would be great to... as I only know what a few of the old coins looks like and I would love to learn about all this stuff. After having a look through the sites *Best info* http://triton.vg/colonial.html*Best pictures* http://triton.vg/proclamation.html Edited by Australian coin
05/01/2011 11:48 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
 Australia
21788 Posts |
Australian coin: Thank you for those links. From these, I have learned a little more, for example, the copper farthing for the period 1825-55 should be added to the my list in the first post.
As far a coin ownership is concerned, I used to have an Adelaide Pound, but that was sold as part of my collection to help raise a 10% deposit for my first house. Currently, I have a Potosi 8 reales of Ferdinand V11, which was given to me by a missionary who lived in Potosi for nearly 30 years.
Curiously, I see you are in Sale. I say curiously, because I lived in Sale in the Manchester area of England for nearly 2 years.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1244 Posts |
Cute, there is a sale in England. I Googled it!
I'm in Sale Australia, most Australian towns and places were named after places in England.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1244 Posts |
Hi.......
Can you tell me were the straight settlements coins used as currency or some kind of trade coin in Australia?
I think they are later coins 1900 on wards?
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1295 Posts |
You want to get this book:
Foundations of the Australian Monetary System 1788-1851
S.J. Butlin, Sydney University Press 1953. There was a re-print from the 1968 too.
It contains all of this information plus a bunch more.
For example, your reference to the 1825 shipment is mentioned specifically "On 17 December 1825 30,000 pounds of the promised silver coin arrived in crowns, half crowns, shillings, and sixpences." It goes on to describe how confusion reigned during a period of several years where the Spanish dollar and the sterling system were used, often leading to the same coin having two values depending on the type of transaction. For example, the dollar was traded at the pre sterling arrival value of 5s by many shop-keepers despite an official declaration by the governor that they be valued at 4/4 sterling. Interestingly specific mention is made of a large shipment of rupees landing in 1825 and these circulating freely as well as at least one merchant issuing notes in rupees.
It's not a simple topic and I'd strongly recommend trying to find a copy of the book.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1295 Posts |
Can you tell me were the straight settlements coins used as currency or some kind of trade coin in Australia?
I think they are later coins 1900 on wards?
Perhaps in some very small amount but it would have been minimal to non-existent. The EIC issued some copper for the SS from 1826 and then the colonial government issued copper from 1858 to 1862. The coins had no real intrinsic value and odd denominations that bore no relation to British coins. So it's hard to see why they would have traded here (rupees were silver at least).
Silver coins were first issued in 1871 and Australia would have been well-entrenched in the L/s/d system by then.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2830 Posts |
Straits Settlements were "Malacca, Penang (also known as Prince of Wales Island), Christmas Island (until 1946 and part of Singapore until 1957) and Singapore, as well as (from 1907) Labuan, off the coast of Borneo." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straits_SettlementsI've never heard of Straits Settlements coins, or notes, circulating in Australia. But, maybe someone else has ... |
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Moderator
 Australia
16830 Posts |
Quote:
Interestingly specific mention is made of a large shipment of rupees landing in 1825 and these circulating freely as well as at least one merchant issuing notes in rupees. A presentation was given at the ANS conference last year on the role of the rupee in early Australian commerce, particularly in Tasmania where the supply of sterling seems to have been less regular. Specifically, the use of the Calcutta (Bengal Presidency) rupee, which had a higher silver content than its Madras and Bombay counterparts and was thus given a higher face value. The Spanish dollar also continued to be used in Tasmania long after their use was abandoned in New South Wales. Apparently the Sydney authorities found Tasmania to be a convenient dumping ground for all their now-unwanted dollars and rupees. The dollar was not formally demonetized in Tasmania until 1849. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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New Member
Australia
16 Posts |
There are a couple of books referenced on the Stirling & Currency Website -
THE COINAGE OF COLONIAL AUSTRALIA BOOK. Written by Andrew Crellin, this book is a definitive reference work on the coinage used in Australia between 1788 and 1825.
A HISTORY OF CURRENCY IN THE BRITISH COLONIES. 2008.
Hard bound and with full colour illustrations.
Studying Australian numismatic items produced during the 19th century would be simple if there were but one book or reference work that covered each chapter of our colonial numismatic history in detail.
I believe the first is more of a Story so to speak, and the second is more of a reference. I plan on getting a copy of both at some point.
I can post links but was not sure on the protocol.
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Replies: 10 / Views: 2,388 |
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Posted 05/01/2011 11:46 pm
