A project from the National Museum of Australia

The National Museum of Australia has 314 convict love tokens in its collection. These tokens were made by convicts around the time of their sentencing and were given to friends and loved ones as mementos.

What is a convict love token?

Read more about the collection

Token engraved with the stippled image of a man in chains and a ship sailing in the background. In the sky is the sun, moon and several birds. To the man’s right is a rock-like shape, on which is engraved:

Wm
Brain

Paul Ware says:

Such was Georgian/ Victorian justice.. Token looks like it was almost done by a professional engraver? Poss...

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Justin McLoughlin says:

I think it’s so sad that these people of many aches are being sent to another country away from there loved...

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April says:

Hi Paul Yes you could be right? I have a few sailors love tokens in my collection and to my knowledge the m...

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Paul Ware says:

Hi April Really nice coin, but my thoughts are that it could possibly be a Sailors Farewell Token?? Just p...

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