Newcastle & Suburban Co-Operative Society LTD - Aluminium BAKERY Token

[Nugget]

I have cleaned up my best find from Sundays get together with some of the guys from the forum and was surprised to discover the token was made from Aluminium and not copper, it was caked with dark mud which gave the me the impression it was a corroded copper token. I still need to finish cleaning it but it's taken a fair bit of scrubbing to get it to this point.

Here are some pics and info,

Physical Description
Object consists of oval shaped aluminium bakery token embossed on both sides with an inscription. Tokens were redeemable from the Newcastle & Suburban Co-operative Ltd. and entitled the owner to a half-loaf of bread.

Notes
The Newcastle & Suburban Co-operative Society Ltd began in 1898. At its peak it was the biggest and most successful co-operative venture in the whole southern hemisphere. It was known popularly as The Store, and sold basics such as food, clothing, hardware and furniture. The Store also delivered groceries, fruit and vegetables, bread, milk and ice to thousands of Newcastle homes. Tokens were produced by The Store to avoid the delivery and order men having to travel with a lot of cash. The Newcastle & Suburban Co-operative Society's first bakery was opened in 1908. By 1942, the co-op's bakery was the largest in Australia, baking about 62,800 loaves a week. With changing lifestyles and shopping patterns, The Store's operations ended in 1981.

Inscription
Side A: "HALF LOAF" Side B: "BAKERY. NEWCASTLE & DISTRICT SUBURBAN CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD".

 

[axeman]

Nice find, Also like the history behind it. You could say in 1942 they were making plenty of dough :lol: . Mick

 

[kemjak57]

That's a good find Nugget

 

[Goldbuzzhashit]

Nugget nice find, really looks different from the weekend.

 

[Nugget]

Thanks guys, hopefully we find a few more soon

 

[Pedro]

Hi Nugget, That cleaned up really nice and it is always interesting to hear the story behind those sorts of finds.

 

[Scoopa]

Hi Nugget. It always a good surprise when you peel away the mud and crap and your find turns out to be something unexpected. Great work!

 

[user 81]

Well done Nugget

 

[rocketaroo]

3 years later I find the full loaf version:

 

[BADGERCREEK]

That's Gold!!! Well done. Vanilla Slice token next.

 

[SinHof]

Evening Rocket,
Co-Op Store bread tokens;I can remember the days when the horse draw bread cart would roll into our street, mum would give me a token, full or half loaf; loved the half loaf, as I could pull the centre out of the warm broken loaf and pig out on same before I got back into the house, the aroma of fresh baked bread was something else. The Co-Op bakery was only a few hundred metres from home and with a light southerly breeze you could not escape the aromas; a great uncomplicated time to be growing up.
Cheers, SinHof.

 

[rocketaroo]

nice story

 

[Ramjet]

In my home town the milko use a horse drawn milk wagon. We used to follow him in the hope of a freeby. I was always fascinated by how well trained the horse was. The milko would run... yes run, from house to house and whistled for the horse to move ahead, stop or turn an corner. He reckoned it was better than getting in and out of a truck constantly.
The bakery was the only place you could get something to eat in the early hours of the morning. A pie if it was the right time or just a hot loaf of bread.