1883 Hawaiian Dime

Coin Details

Auction Record

$25,850 MS67 04-24-2013 Heritage Auctions

Description

The 1883 Hawaiian Dime, designated Umi Keneta (ten cents) in the Hawaiian language, is the smallest silver denomination in King Kalakaua I’s landmark coinage series — the most comprehensive official coinage ever produced for the Kingdom of Hawaii. Struck at the San Francisco Mint from dies designed by Charles E. Barber, Chief Engraver of the United States Mint, the Hawaiian dime represents the intersection of American minting expertise and Hawaiian sovereign ambition. The obverse portrays King David Kalakaua I in a dignified right-facing bust, wearing his military uniform adorned with royal orders and decorations including the Order of Kalakaua and other Hawaiian and foreign honors. The portrait captures the king during the confident middle years of his reign, projecting the image of a modern, progressive monarch. The inscription "KALAKAUA I KING OF HAWAII" encircles the portrait, with the date 1883 below. The reverse displays the Hawaiian royal coat of arms: a quartered shield supported by twin figures — a warrior bearing a spear on the left and a second figure holding a kahili (feathered royal standard) on the right — beneath the Hawaiian crown. The kingdom’s motto "UA MAU KE EA O KA AINA I KA PONO" (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness) appears on a banner below, with the denomination "UMI KENETA" and the fractional designation. With a mintage of 250,000 pieces, the dime had the smallest production run of the four business-strike denominations. The coins were struck to the same silver standard as United States dimes — .900 fine silver, 17.9mm diameter — ensuring seamless interchangeability in commerce. They circulated actively in the Hawaiian Islands alongside American coins until demonetization in 1903 following annexation.

Rarity Notes

Available in circulated grades. Mintage 250,000 — the lowest of the four 1883 Hawaiian silver denominations. Mint state examples are scarce, with fully lustrous gem specimens commanding strong premiums at auction.

Cross References

Medcalf-Russell 2CS-3; KM-3; PCGS #10979; NGC #50010