Australia, 1859 AD., George & William Henry Rocke Penny Traders Token, struck by W. J. Taylor.

Australia, George and William Henry Rocke Penny Traders Token, struck by W. J. Taylor, London (England), 1859 AD.,
1 Penny Token (34 mm / 14,21 g), copper medal alignment ↑↑ , plain edge,
Obv.: MELBOURNE VICTORIA / 1859 , Justitia / Justice seated with scales in left hand and cornucapia in right, scale pans are higher, level with middle of first E in MELBOURNE, sea behind, a sailor to left.
Rev.: G & W. H. ROCKE / ENGLISH FURNITURE IMPORTERS / 18 LONSDALE STREET EAST / MELBOURNE , two circles script around crowned lion in center with front right paw on shield.
A-466 .

Brothers George and William Henry Rocke came to Victoria in September 1852 on board the Jane Pratt. The Rockes came from Wrexham in northern Wales, where W.H. was born in 1836. It appears that after a visit to England in 1857 they began a buissness in Lonsdale-street as importers of English Furniture, and Furnishing Warehousemen, with a large assortment of Bedsteads and Mattresses always on hand. George returned to England in 1862 and W. H began a partnership with Mr. Beauchamp in Colllins Street in 1863. W. H. continued to run this bussiness until his death in 1883. G & W.H. Rocke issued four penny token variations in 1859, struck by Heaton and Sons in Birmingham.

The production of the Rocke tokens involved two obverse dies (called A & B) and three reverse dies (called 1,2 and 3).
Obverse A has stops after G.&. while obverse B does not. The reverse dies were very similar and are best identified by measurement of the distance between the horizon and the lowest point of the letter M of MELBOURNE. There is a variation between where a line across the tops of the pans would cross the letters ME of MELBOURNE.
Reverse M to sea line across top of pans crosses
1 6.0 mm Between ME
2 5.2 mm Base of E
3 4.3 mm Middle of E
Reverse 1 cracked along the tops of the letters RNE and reverse 2 cracked from the rim between the letters LB to near the top of the scale arm. These die cracks are only found with obverse B so this provides the order of production.
More on: http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/themes/1969/g-w-h-rocke-furniture-importers-melbourne-victoria