Collection: Macquarie University History Museum
Gold Pin
| Accession # | AHM000279 |
| Creator | Unknown |
| Culture | |
| Period | 19th Century |
| Date | 1850 - 1900 |
| Provenance | Ballarat |
| Material/s | Gold |
| Dimensions | 6.4cm (l) x 2cm (w) x 0.5cm (d) |
| Collection | Macquarie University History Museum |
| Source | AHM, Macquarie University |
| Classification | Jewellery |
Gold Miner's Pin
AHM000279 is a gold stick pin. It was commisioned by a miner in Ballarat as a token of success on the goldfields. The pin is thin and ends at a sharp point. It is topped by a gold 3D-design of mining equipment; namely a shovel, pick and pan full of gold. Gold-mining-themed pins and brooches were common during the colonial gold rush era as a way of celebrating a find and displaying that success and subsequent wealth. This example is quite simple, with other brooches and pins including very delicate and intricate designs of mining scenes and equipment. Its imagery is typical of the ‘Digger Brooch’ design, featuring miniature tools and a nugget. There is some suggestion that the influence for the design may have come with migratory diggers previously in South Africa.
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Syllabus Links
- Stage 3 Syllabus Links
- describe and explain different experiences of people living in Australia over time (HT3-2)
- apply a variety of skills of historical inquiry and communication (HT3-5)
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Stage 3 History - The Australian Colonies
- The impact of a significant development or event on a colony; for example, the gold rushes (ACHHK095)
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Historical concepts
- Cause and effect - events, decisions or developments in the past that produce later actions, results or effects, eg events and other reasons that led to migration to Australia.
- Empathetic understanding - an understanding of another's point of view, way of life and decisions made in a different time.
- Significance - the importance of an event, development or individual/group, eg determining the importance (significance) of various peoples' contributions to the development of a colony.
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Historical skills - Analysis and use of sources
- locate information relevant to inquiry questions in a range of sources (ACHHS102, ACHHS121)
- compare information from a range of sources (ACHHS103, ACHHS122)
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Historical Skills - Research
- identify and pose questions to inform an historical inquiry (ACHHS100, ACHHS119)
- identify and locate a range of relevant sources to support an historical inquiry (ACHHS101, ACHHS120)
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Historical Skills - Explanation and communication
- develop historical texts, particularly narratives and descriptions, which incorporate source material (ACHHS105, ACHHS124)
- use a range of communication forms (oral, written, graphic) and digital technologies. (ACHHS106, ACHHS125)
- Stage 3 Syllabus Links
- Educational Resources
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Online Resources
- MADE Exhibition eCatalogue - "Bling - 19th Century Goldfields Jewellery"
- Rare 'bling' of 19th century colonial jewellery
- Google Arts & Culture
- Carter's Antiques Guide
- SMH Newspaper article - MADE Ballarat Exhibition
- SMH Newspaper article - Hunt on for miners' jewellery
- NMA The Digger Brooch - An Australian Original?
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Bibliography/References
- Buttler-Bowdon, E.,(1995) Golden memories, ‘Australian gold and silver 1851-1900’, Powerhouse Publishing.
- Czernis-Ryl, E., (1995) Australian gold and silver 1851-1900’ Powerhouse Publishing
- McCalman, I., Cook, A., and Reeves., A (eds), (2001) Gold - forgotten histories and lost objects of Australia, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne
- Museum of Art and Democracy (Dec 2015) Media Release; 19th Century BLING - Goldfields Jewellery
- Serle, G., (1963) The Golden Age; A History of the Colony of Victoria, 1851–6, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne
- Young, L ., (2016) Souvenirs of global gold seeking; goldfields jewellery of the 19th century. Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka
- Young, L., (2012) "Subversive jewellery. Challenges to conservative power from the Victorian goldfields" in ReCollections Vol.7, No.1, pp.1-13
Cite this page
Macquarie University History Museum (2020). Gold Pin, AHM000279. //objectbasedlearning.com/Macquarie-University-History-Museum/AHM000279 (accessed on: 14 June 2020).Rights & Permissions
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