Great Britain 1850s Lloyd Newspaper Token Fair-Very Fine
A genuine artefact of colonial Australia, as one of the many token types to circulate as currency due to a dramatic shortage of coinage in the 19th century, we are delighted to present the 1850s Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper Token!
In the first century after European Settlement in 1788, the shortage of small change was a huge problem in colonial Australia. Essential for everyday transactions, the lack of lower denomination coinage became a full-blown currency crisis during the Gold Rush, due to the increase in population, wealth and commercial activity.
The crisis sparked an innovative response, with businesses issuing Trade Tokens to facilitate trade. The widespread use of tokens was such that colonial authorities across Australia eventually banned their use, as the traders who issued these unofficial ‘coins’ effectively challenged the government’s sole right to issue currency. Today, Trade Tokens are sought after as genuine artefacts of the Gold Rush and the colonial period – including Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper Tokens!
The token presented here was issued in the 1850s by Lloyd’s Weekley Newspaper – founded by Edward Lloyd in 1842, and rising to become the only 19th century British newspaper to achieve a weekly circulation of one million copies. Lloyd’s had a wide readership in Australia, but tokens issued by the newspaper would have arrived on our shores with the many migrants either escaping poverty and unemployment in Great Britain, or looking to strike it rich on the goldfields. With currency in short supply, Lloyd’s Tokens were readily accepted in the burgeoning colonial economy.
A fascinating, genuine artefact of early modern Australia, and remarkably affordable given the wealth of history it represents, the Lloyd’s Newspaper Token is a must-have. Click add to cart now!
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Great Britain 1850s Lloyd Newspaper Token Fair-Very Fine
Great Britain 1850s Lloyd Newspaper Token Fair-Very Fine
A genuine artefact of colonial Australia, as one of the many token types to circulate as currency due to a dramatic shortage of coinage in the 19th century, we are delighted to present the 1850s Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper Token!
In the first century after European Settlement in 1788, the shortage of small change was a huge problem in colonial Australia. Essential for everyday transactions, the lack of lower denomination coinage became a full-blown currency crisis during the Gold Rush, due to the increase in population, wealth and commercial activity.
The crisis sparked an innovative response, with businesses issuing Trade Tokens to facilitate trade. The widespread use of tokens was such that colonial authorities across Australia eventually banned their use, as the traders who issued these unofficial ‘coins’ effectively challenged the government’s sole right to issue currency. Today, Trade Tokens are sought after as genuine artefacts of the Gold Rush and the colonial period – including Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper Tokens!
The token presented here was issued in the 1850s by Lloyd’s Weekley Newspaper – founded by Edward Lloyd in 1842, and rising to become the only 19th century British newspaper to achieve a weekly circulation of one million copies. Lloyd’s had a wide readership in Australia, but tokens issued by the newspaper would have arrived on our shores with the many migrants either escaping poverty and unemployment in Great Britain, or looking to strike it rich on the goldfields. With currency in short supply, Lloyd’s Tokens were readily accepted in the burgeoning colonial economy.
A fascinating, genuine artefact of early modern Australia, and remarkably affordable given the wealth of history it represents, the Lloyd’s Newspaper Token is a must-have. Click add to cart now!
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
A genuine artefact of colonial Australia, as one of the many token types to circulate as currency due to a dramatic shortage of coinage in the 19th century, we are delighted to present the 1850s Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper Token!
In the first century after European Settlement in 1788, the shortage of small change was a huge problem in colonial Australia. Essential for everyday transactions, the lack of lower denomination coinage became a full-blown currency crisis during the Gold Rush, due to the increase in population, wealth and commercial activity.
The crisis sparked an innovative response, with businesses issuing Trade Tokens to facilitate trade. The widespread use of tokens was such that colonial authorities across Australia eventually banned their use, as the traders who issued these unofficial ‘coins’ effectively challenged the government’s sole right to issue currency. Today, Trade Tokens are sought after as genuine artefacts of the Gold Rush and the colonial period – including Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper Tokens!
The token presented here was issued in the 1850s by Lloyd’s Weekley Newspaper – founded by Edward Lloyd in 1842, and rising to become the only 19th century British newspaper to achieve a weekly circulation of one million copies. Lloyd’s had a wide readership in Australia, but tokens issued by the newspaper would have arrived on our shores with the many migrants either escaping poverty and unemployment in Great Britain, or looking to strike it rich on the goldfields. With currency in short supply, Lloyd’s Tokens were readily accepted in the burgeoning colonial economy.
A fascinating, genuine artefact of early modern Australia, and remarkably affordable given the wealth of history it represents, the Lloyd’s Newspaper Token is a must-have. Click add to cart now!
