1847 Hawaiian Cent - Plain 4, 15 Berries (7L/8R)

Coin Details

Description

This 1847 Hawaiian cent has a plain 4 in the date and a reverse wreath with 15 berries, 7 on the left and 8 on the right. The Kingdom of Hawaii ordered 100,000 copper cents in 1846 through its agent James Jackson Jarves, and Edward Hulseman designed and engraved them (Wikipedia). Where they were struck is not recorded; Walter Breen named the private mint of H. M. & E. I. Richards at Attleboro, Massachusetts. The obverse carries a uniformed bust of Kamehameha III with KAMEHAMEHA III. KA MOI and the date, and the reverse reads HAPA HANERI inside a wreath with AUPUNI HAWAII around it. Medcalf and Russell, as reported by Wikipedia, record 11,595 still in the treasury in 1862, the end of legal tender status in 1884 and 88,305 sold as scrap metal in 1885. They divide the cents by the 4 of the date, plain or crosslet, and by the number of berries in the reverse wreath. Medcalf and Russell call the plain 4 obverse the small bust and list two plain 4 reverses with 15 berries, arranged 7 and 8 or 8 and 7. Catalogue numbers: Medcalf-Russell 2CC-6. PCGS number 245384.

Cross References

Medcalf-Russell 2CC-6