The first British gold sovereign was minted as long ago as 1489 under the reign of Henry VII. Subsequent monarchs issued their own gold coins until the reign of James I, crowned King of England and Scotland in 1603 when the practice died out. The modern use of the sovereign and half sovereign coins as common currency in Britain began in 1817. In Australia, the Sydney Mint was established as a branch of the Royal Mint in London in 1855. Its primary role, together with the mints of Melbourne (1872-1931) and Perth (1899-1931) was to strike Sovereigns and Half Sovereigns from the gold that had been discovered in the goldfields of Victoria and New South Wales in 1851. During the First World War, the Sovereign - like most gold and silver coins - was gradually withdrawn from general circulation, although special limited issue coins have frequently been minted for special events, such as the Platinum Jubilee and recent death of Queen Elizabeth 11. Sovereign cases were small portable boxes usually in cylindrical shape and made from various metals with snapshut covers to contain the coin. The spring in the base allowed several coins to be stored in a small container. These fob holders were particularly common in the late 19th to early 20th century and were frequently used by men who could then safely carry coins in their suit pockets. This case was used by a member of the Raper family of Wodonga, Victoria. This item is from the Raper Collection donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Mrs. Jean Raper.A small silver case with a fob attachment designed to hold sovereign and half sovereign coins. Inside the case are 2 circular spring loaded receptacles to hold the coins. The lid is lined with velvet. A clip and fob is attached to the front of the case.currency, predecimal coins

Sargasso was a monthly newspaper of the Ballarat University College/University of Ballarat Student Union newspaper. Matthew Cuthbert worked on Sargasso from 1989 to 1991 when it was created on LC 2 Apple Mac, at that time one of the best Apple labs in the country. "The Ballarat Courier had four machine, we had a suite." (Matthew Cuthbert, 2022) Mathew Cuthbert was the founder of ‘Integration,’ an alterntive venue and nightclub, with local college band, ‘The Fat Thing’ . This club had a following of Grunge and New Indie music from the UK, namely Madchester, straight from the decks of the Chevron, Melbourne. He went on to study interactive Multimedia at Central Saint Martin’s, London. "It was a great time at Ballarat, a melding of arts, humanities, friendship, youth and a Bohemia of sorts." (Matthew Cuthbert, 2022)Seventeen copies of the Ballarat University College/University of Ballarat student newspaper 'Sargasso'.student union, ballarat college of advanced education student union, eureka, newspaper, ballarat university college, university of ballarat, student union, student association, michael hayes, carparking, painters and dockers, the saints, elliott goblet, len taylor, engineering, russell bell, michael thornton, fiona kleinitz, katie o'callaghan, darren parker, ambrose nicholls, tim jess, siva shankar, terry o'biren, computers, french nuclear tests, muroroa atoll, chris hutchinson, hodges robinson, ballarat international film festival, hugh jarse, fred penhall, catherine righetti, mathew cuthbert, vicki morrison, jerry goularas, john shapham, brian sardeson, peter glover, roger burnley, michael radman, jodie chivell, janell armfield, sexual harassment, east timor, andrew sutherland, metallica, 3bbb, rod harrison, robyne sterns, voluntary student unionism, campus conservation corps, melinda glisson, christie pepperell, paul harmes, azhar albazzaz, mat erbs, russell bell, michael thornton, loren gale, stephen degabrielle, floriene loder, john winkelman, lisa gleeson, hecs, higher education contribution scheme, robyne sterns, steve blomeley, melissa auchline, jane hyland, rob sitch, chrissie mildren, eric ong, hoodoo guros, keith lanyon, david fitzgerald, vince zankin, justin driscoll, brian welsh, chaplains, orion, pauline schenk, caitlin french, tom fermi, lisa gleeson, beth filipov, ballarat film society, mortlake buskers festival, australian university games, shivalli nanduri, david jones, merrion kent, stephen hubert, carly shaw, simon kennedy, david james, michael thorton, paul sproules, jacek olchowick, rape, autism, eureka stockade memorial trust, halls of residence, student residences, peter joyce, kath pengelly, sam drew, amie bird, antonino atzori (nino), michelle menz, mariela gledj, rugby union, hockey, sarag freeman

This pen and ink set is part of a collection donated by Mrs. Jean Raper. It was used by the teacher at Upper Gundowring Primary school, Victoria. The school, number 2733, opened on 13 July 1886. Due to changing demographics in the region, in 1953 the school was merged with schools from Dederang North, Kergunyah, Gundowring, Kiewa, Red Bluff, Charleroi and Gundowing North on a 10 acre site with 11 rooms at Kiewa to become Kiewa Valley Consolidated School.This item is from Raper Collection donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Mrs. Jean Raper. A china pen and ink set painted with a floral design.pen and ink, personal items, teacher supplies, upper gundowring primary school

This glass design bears a leaf design etched into the surface. It is believe to have been produced in Melbourne, possibly at the Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Co Pty Ltd. It belonged to Mrs. Eliza Reardon, great grandmother of Mrs. Jean Raper.This item is from Raper Collection donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Mrs. Jean Raper. A glass mug with and etched leaf design, thought to have been made in Melbourne, Victoria.glassware, decorative items, glass mug

These ivory sticks were used as decorative items to secure hair buns. They were owned by Alice Dinsmore nee Reardon who was born in 1860 in Castlemaine, Victoria and died 18 May 1936 in Albury, New South Wales. She married George Wesley Wadeson Dinsmore. Alice and George Dinsmore were grandparents of Mrs Jean Raper who donated these sticks and many assorted items of jewellery to the Wodonga & District Historical Society.This item is from the Raper Collection donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Mrs. Jean Raper.2 small ivory sticks used for hair decorations. One has a brass cap on one end. The other stick has a notched shape on one end.fashion accessory, hair decorations, women's fashion