1879 Hawaiian Plantation Token - T. Hobron, 12-1/2 Cents, 2/6 Stars

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,738 AU50 08-13-2006 Heritage Auctions

Description

The 1879 Hawaiian 12½-cent piece attributed to Thomas Hobron is one of the most enigmatic issues in Hawaiian numismatics. Struck in copper during the early years of King Kalakaua I’s reign, this piece bears the unusual denomination of 12½ cents — a unit sometimes called a "bit" in the parlance of Hawaiian and American frontier commerce, corresponding to the Spanish real that had long circulated in the Pacific trade networks. Thomas Hobron was a prominent Honolulu businessman and civic leader who served in various governmental capacities in the Kingdom of Hawaii. His connection to this coinage issue reflects the involvement of private merchants in proposals for Hawaiian monetary reform during the 1870s, before the government settled on the comprehensive 1883 silver coinage program struck at the San Francisco Mint. The "2/6 Stars" designation refers to a die variety distinguished by the arrangement of stars on the piece, indicating that multiple versions were produced. The 1879 date places this piece during a period of active monetary planning in Hawaii. Kalakaua, who ascended the throne in 1874, was pursuing modernization of the kingdom’s economic infrastructure. Various proposals for Hawaiian coinage circulated during the late 1870s, and pieces like this Hobron issue represent the experimental phase before the definitive 1883 series. The 12½-cent denomination, while impractical by mainland American standards, made sense within the mixed-currency environment of the Hawaiian Islands where Spanish, Mexican, and American coins all circulated side by side. Whether this piece was intended as a pattern for an official coinage, a merchant token, or a speculative private issue remains a subject of scholarly debate. Regardless of its original purpose, the Hobron 12½-cent piece is prized by collectors as a rare and tangible artifact of Hawaii’s monetary evolution during the kingdom period.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Seldom appears at auction. The 2/6 Stars variety is one of several known Hobron die combinations. When offered, examples command strong prices relative to the broader Hawaiian series.

Cross References

Medcalf-Russell 2CC; PCGS #600515; Thomas Hobron issue