What would they have been

[Steveqld]

I knew it was a common practice to place a coin under the entrance of a new building for luck and came across this article about the building of the Port Phillip Court House in 1842.

Not that we are ever likely to find out but I wonder what type of coins would have been in the jar laid under the foundation stone.  

Too early for anything from the Sydney Mint or the Adelaide Pound so I'm guessing mainly English currency but perhaps including some Proclamation coins and other Colonial Currency.  Perhaps even a Holey Dollar for it's relevance to Australia ?



Copied from the Sydney Gazette and NSW Advertiser 16/8/1842.

The wife is offering to watch my back while we find out if it is a holey dollar............

[Robster]

Almost worth the "Jail time". lol

[Unicorn]

:laugh2: Robster

Funny how the Treasurer of the "Lodge" was handed the coins and the builder was George "Beaver".

[ausjack]

Gee I'd like top say I'm in but it sounds like a really big job digging, or are ya gonna blow it
I'm not goin there Uni :dodgy: you'll get me in trouble :winkextra:

[markn]

There was a letter in this months CAB where someone found a gothic florin in a window cavity in the mid-1850's house they were renovating.  Most likely they'd have put UK coins that were circulating at the time into the courthouse.

[ausjack]

there's a lot of houses that old around here so I wonder if they'd mind if I had a little peek in their windows :mocking:

[Steveqld]

There was a letter in this months CAB where someone found a gothic florin in a window cavity in the mid-1850's house they were renovating.  Most likely they'd have put UK coins that were circulating at the time into the courthouse.

Sadly I think you're right.  The strength of colonialism and ties to the English legal system would have prevented them from putting the coins of another realm in such a building.

I think they would have been too traditional to include representative coins from the home countries of those who emigrated here eg Ireland and China although this was probably before the Irish potato famine and not sure if the Chinese were here for the gold rush by then.  It would also have been too forward thinking to include a uniquely Australian coin like the stamped holey dollar and also because of it's ties to Spain.

But on the off chance, do you reckon a crowbar would get through the side of the stone or would it need a jackhammer.  Bunnings has cheapies for about $300.

[Fulvio]

...do you reckon a crowbar would get through the side of the stone or would it need a jackhammer.  Bunnings has cheapies for about $300.

Hrrrrmmmmm... I seen to be associating with a bunch of crims, soon to be felons by the sound of it. :diablo:

[Robster]

I am just 'consulting'.! :dodgy:

[Steveqld]

And my question was just based on a desire to recommend additional security for the site.

As an aside, I knew my in-law's first arrival in Australia was for a minimum 7 years, something to do with a sheep.  I researched his name on Trove and found a lengthy report where he and his wife went to trial in 1848 as accessories after the fact to burning down their neighbour's barn.  They were acquitted but their timber cutter got another 10 years hard labour on the roads.

I used to joke about putting the silverware away when the in-laws visited and now I've got to put the matches up as well.

[Sapyx]

Port Phillip was still part of New South Wales at the time. In New South Wales, they would almost certainly have been British coins in a building dedication. Well worn examples, perhaps, but still British.

They wouldn't have been Holey Dollars; these were demonetised in NSW in 1829, by which time most of the 40,000 made had already been withdrawn and melted down.

The "Proclamation", of course, was long out of date by 1842, though non-British coins still made up a not insignificant component of the circulating currency. There could have been foreign coin in the bottle, but given that it is a government building being built, I think they would have gone to some effort to obtain "proper" British coins.

Finally, of course, I'm not familiar enough with Melbourne's colonial architecture to know, and Googling isn't solving it for me, so I have to ask: does this building still exist? No point going looking to plunder foundation-stones for buildings that were demolished long ago and replaced with skyscrapers.

[Steveqld]

No.  It's gone and been replaced.  From the Victorian Freemason's website:

On the 25th July 1842 the brethren of Australia Felix lead the first non military parade through the streets of Melbourne to lay the foundation of the new courthouse on the corner of Russell and Latrobe streets. This building stood until the early 1900's when it was demolished to make way for the sandstone building that currently occupies the site - the Magistrates Court. The trowel, used at this and many other civic stone laying ceremonies is currently in the custodianship of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria.

[Goldseeker]

Whilst I was metal detecting at Amhurst in Central Victoria, a gent who was a member of the metal Detecting Club by the name of Eric, detected an old house just off Blacksmith Gully Road.   The only thing was left standing of this house was the old brick fire place.   Putting his detector over it, he got a good sounding beep halfway up on one of legs of the fireplace and retrieved an 1895 something English Crown from between the bricks.   He continued his search and on the other side of the fire place, on the other leg, got another beep.   You guessed it, an 1897 English Half Crown.   That was over the Australia day weekend many years ago.

Then, at Easter, at the same site, Eric moved the old iron roof sheets and detected an old tobacco tin.   Retrieved it, opened it and out fell numerous old English silver coins, all denominations from before 1899.

Old English coins are a treat to find.   I have found a few 1 shilling pieces and an Indian Silver Rupee from 1850? something.   I still have them in my collection.