(1959) Medal King Kamehameha Platinum Medallic Art Co.

Coin Details

Description

This platinum medal depicting King Kamehameha was produced by Medallic Art Company in 1959, the year Hawaii achieved statehood as the fiftieth state of the Union. Kamehameha I, known as Kamehameha the Great, unified the Hawaiian Islands into a single kingdom between 1795 and 1810 through a combination of military conquest and diplomatic skill, creating the Kingdom of Hawaii that would endure until the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani in 1893. The timing of this medal's production coincided with the August 21, 1959 admission of Hawaii to the Union, an event of enormous significance for the people of the islands. Medallic Art Company's choice to produce this piece in platinum — the rarest and most prestigious of the standard precious metals — speaks to the exceptional nature of the occasion and the reverence in which Kamehameha is held in Hawaiian culture. The platinum composition would have made this medal extraordinarily expensive even by 1959 standards, limiting production to a tiny number of pieces. Kamehameha's image appears on Hawaii's state seal and as a prominent statue in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall, and this platinum medal ranks among the most exclusive numismatic tributes to the Hawaiian king. Medallic Art Company's willingness to work in platinum demonstrated the firm's technical versatility, as platinum requires significantly higher striking pressures than gold or silver.

Rarity Notes

Platinum. Produced by Medallic Art Company. Extremely rare — platinum medals from MACO are among the rarest compositions the firm produced. Production limited to single digits or very low double digits. A major rarity in the Medallic Art Company series.

Cross References

PCGS #592236