Is there any coin person out there who has helpful information, or who would be kind enough to post this query to one of the Australian Coin chat boards? I bought these at auction; the auctioneer had no idea, I just thought they were interesting. I think I now know that they are check pieces, or club checks. Nobles in the sale of the Howard Brown Collection Australian Checks, Tokens, Tickets and Passes, Sale 85 back in July 2007, described as part of Lot 639 a Club Check C.S.C as “Cessnock Social Club”. (Not illustrated but surely has to be the same type?)
https://www.noble.com.au/site/docs/cats/sale_85/A03.pdf
Now who am to dispute Howard Brown’s attribution BUT
a) I can’t find any reference to Cessnock Social Club (apart from this catalogue and one very modern reference to Cessnock RSL) and
b) I would seriously doubt that any social club of the time would have a £5 token. In fact I am struggling to find anything in other club checks shown in the catalogue higher than £1. I would think it more likely to be a high end club or store. The design of the checks is similar to others in the Brown collection, and the infill design on the 10/- and 2/- can be seen on others illustrated in the catalogue. I would assume the 10/- is brass, the 2/- is aluminium, and the rest may be copper? As a size guide the £5 is 38mm diameter. I would be very grateful for any help.
