1883 Hawaiian Half Dollar
Strike Type
Coin Details
Auction Record
- Price realized
- $54,625
- Sold
- Grade
- VF30
- Auction house
- Heritage Auctions
Description
This is the 1883 Hawaiian half dollar, HAPALUA, with the royal arms on the reverse. Under the currency act of 1880 the Hawaiian government, acting through Claus Spreckels, had the United States Mint coin one million dollars in silver to the weight and fineness of American coins. Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber designed both sides: King Kalakaua faces right on the obverse, and the reverses carry the royal arms or a crowned wreath with the motto UA MAU KE EA O KA AINA I KA PONO. The Director of the Mint reported that the San Francisco Mint began this coinage on November 17, 1883 and finished it in June 1884, though every piece is dated 1883 and none carries a mint mark. After annexation Congress set January 1, 1904 as the last day for exchanging the coins, and those turned in were melted at San Francisco (Wikipedia). The Director of the Mint reported 700,000 half dollars; Medcalf and Russell, as reported by Wikipedia, record 612,245 melted. Catalogue numbers: Medcalf-Russell 2CS-4. PCGS number 10991.
Cross References
Medcalf-Russell 2CS-4
External References
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