1997 Hawaiian Akahi Puela - X#MB127, Platinum

Coin Details

Description

The 1997 Akahi Puela is a one-ounce platinum commemorative from the Hawaiian Mint series, cataloged as Krause X#MB127. The denomination Akahi Puela combines Akahi (one, as in the 1883 Akahi Dala dollar) with Puela, creating a Hawaiian-language platinum denomination. This piece represents the pinnacle of the Hawaiian private mint program in terms of precious metal value. Platinum Hawaiian commemoratives are among the rarest issues in the entire Hawaiian numismatic series. The high cost of platinum limited production to very small quantities, and surviving examples are prized by specialists. The Hawaiian Mint's decision to produce platinum pieces reflected the growing interest in platinum as an investment metal during the 1990s, paralleling the U.S. Mint's introduction of the American Platinum Eagle in 1997. The 1997 date places this among the final issues of the Hawaiian private mint era. The Akahi Puela denomination represents a creative Hawaiian-language approach to naming a platinum piece, distinguishing it from the silver Dala tradition while maintaining linguistic consistency with the Kingdom-era numismatic vocabulary.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Platinum Hawaiian Mint pieces had the smallest mintages of any composition, 25-100 pieces. Very seldom offered at auction.

Cross References

PCGS #245853; Krause X#MB127