POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Notes

Cessation of Transportation Medal, 1853: Following lengthy negotiations, the British Government agreed that transportation of convicts to Tasmania would cease in 1853. Coincidentally, this was also the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Colony. This fine medal commemorating these two major events is believed to have been designed, and the dies prepared, by Sydney medallist, J.C. Thornthwaite. The production of such a large medal appears to have been beyond local capacity, and 9,000 pewter and 100 bronze medals were struck from these dies in England, for distribution in connection with the Jubilee Celebrations on 10th August, 1853. The Years of Expansion: The Passing Parade. Medallic Illustrations of Colonial History Lacking both technical capacity and public demand to support such an industry, Australian medals prior to the early 1850s were generally individual, hand-engraved pieces. With the massive increase of population arising from the discovery of gold in Australia, and the introduction of mass production techniques, it became possible to produce medals profitably, for public distribution; and within a few years their use for commemorative purposes was widespread in the Australian Colonies. These medals provide glimpses of some of the events in the passing parade of colonial history, as Australia moved towards Federation and the 20th Century. Some typical examples are shown. From Sydney Mint Museum label written by curator, Major HP (Pat) Boland, c1982