Miniature tea kettle made from Australian coins

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Overview

Miniature tea kettle made from two Australian coins. The upper section is made from a 1951 Penny which has been shaped into a smooth hemisphere. Much of the detail has gone due to the shaping and polishing process, but the central kangaroo and date are still visible along with 'Australia' above and 'Penny' below around the edges.
The base is a 1943 Half Penny which remains in good condition.
The handle and spout have been made from thin copper wire

Historical information

This miniature kettle is one of a large number of items in the collection made from coins. These include jewellery such as brooches and bracelets, small photo frames,and other bric a brac.
Many of these items were made by servicemen and could be called trench art. This is sometimes confirmed by engraving on the reverse side of the coins.
The kettle has coins dating from 1951 and 1943, so is too late for World War Two, but may have been made during the Korean War. Just because the coins have a specific date doesn't mean that the kettle was made at that time. All that can be confirmed is that it was made from 1951 onwards.
Alternatively, the kettle could have been made for a child's doll house or as a collectible given as a gift.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00839

Item type

Coins

Collectibles

Decorative Objects

Ephemera

Metalwork

Souvenirs

Toys

Themes