View source for Melbourne 1855 penny token KM-Tn53

[[Image:SB824-45288o.jpg|300px|thumb|from the Stack's Bowers 2024 ANA sale, lot 45288]]
[[Image:SB824-45288r.jpg|300px|thumb]]

This specimen was lot 45288 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2024), where it sold for $336. The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, "[[Australia|AUSTRALIA]]. Melbourne. Copper Penny Token, 1855. PCGS MS-63 Brown." Filling a shortage of coinage in the expanding economy, private tokens flourished until finally being banned in the 1870's. The SCWC lists nearly three hundred varieties. Today most are very scarce. While half penny tokens were very common in Great Britain (especially the Conder tokens), most Australian tokens were of the penny denomination, perhaps a result of higher prices.

''Recorded mintage:'' unknown. 

''Specification:'' copper.

''Catalog reference:'' KM-Tn53.

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* McDonald, Greg, ''The Pocket Guide to Australian Coins and Banknotes, 23rd ed.,'' Lavington, Australia, 2017.
* Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, ''Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed.'', Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
* Pitt, Michael, ''Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values, 32nd Edition,'' Matraville, New South Wales, Australia: Renniks Publications, 2023.
* <sup>[1]</sup>Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, ''August 2024 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Emilio M. Ortiz Collection, The Richard Margolis Collection and The Rutherford Collection,'' Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.

''Link to:''
* [[Melbourne 1854 1/2 penny token KM-Tn248]], T. W. Thomas & Co.
* [[Hobart 1855 penny token KM-Tn7]], Lewis Abrahams
* [[Australia 1855-S 1/2 sovereign|1855(sy) half sovereign]]
* [[Australia 1855-S sovereign|1855(sy) sovereign]]
* [[Melbourne 1858 penny token KM-Tn285.1]], "Peace and Plenty", Whitty & Brown
* [[Melbourne (1862) penny token KM-Tn189]], Hugh Peck
* [[Melbourne 1862 penny token KM-Tn235]], T. Stokes
* [[Coins and currency dated 1855]]

[[Category:Selections from the Stack's Bowers 2024 ANA sale]]