Holy dollar

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

punning name for a dollar outof which a Dump (q.v.) had been punched.

1822. `Hobart Town Gazette,' Aug. 10 [Proclamation by SirThomas Brisbane, Governor-in-Chief of New South Walesand its dependencies, then including Van Diemen's Land]

«Whereas in the Year of our Lord 1813, it was deemed expedientto send a Quantity of Spanish Dollars to the Colony. . . . Andwhereas His Excellency, the then Governor, thought proper todirect, that every such Dollar, with a small circular Piece ofSilver, struck out of its Centre, should be current within thisTerritory, and every part thereof, for the Sum of FiveShillings.»

[These were called holy (holey) dollars, or ringdollars, though the name does not occur in the abovequotation.]

1857. D. Bunce, `Australasiatic Reminiscences,' p. 59:

«We were more particularly struck with the character andvarious kinds of currency [in Tasmania in 1833]. Our firstchange for a pound consisted of two dumps, two holy dollars,one Spanish dollar, one French coin, one half-crown, oneshilling, and one sixpence.»

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