"1883" Hawaiian Fantasy Strike - Half Dollar, Reverse Hub Impression

Coin Details

Description

This reverse hub impression of the Hawaiian 1/2 Dollar (hapalua) presents the reverse coat of arms design at the half dollar scale. The reverse design includes the denomination expressed as HAPALUA DALA (Half Dollar) along with the value 1/2 and the Hawaiian coat of arms featuring the national motto. The Hawaiian coat of arms on the coinage was adapted from the official royal arms of the Kingdom, which had been formally adopted under Kamehameha III. The heraldic design incorporated both European and Hawaiian elements, reflecting the Kingdom's position as a sovereign nation that engaged diplomatically with Western powers while maintaining distinct cultural identity. This reverse hub impression, together with its obverse companion, documents both sides of the half dollar coinage tooling. The pair provides a complete record of the designs that produced 700,000 circulating half dollars, the workhorses of the Hawaiian monetary system during the final decade of the Kingdom.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Reverse hub impression companion to the obverse type. PCGS #511342.

Cross References

PCGS #511342; Medcalf-Russell