Hawaiian Trade Tokens & Modern Issues

About This Coin

Bridging the gap between Hawaii's plantation economy and modern statehood commemoratives, Hawaiian Trade Tokens & Modern Issues encompass a fascinating range of numismatic material from the islands. The trade token component includes plantation tokens — privately issued pieces used to pay workers on sugar and pineapple plantations, redeemable at company stores — as well as merchant tokens from Honolulu and other Hawaiian communities that facilitated local commerce. These plantation tokens, typically struck in aluminum, brass, or copper, document the economic system that dominated Hawaiian life from the mid-19th century through the early 20th century. The modern issues component includes commemorative medals, tourist pieces, and special statehood-related emissions produced after Hawaii joined the Union in 1959. Designed by Charles Barber among others, some pieces in this category reflect the artistic traditions of the U.S. Mint applied to distinctly Hawaiian subjects. Within the Hawaiian Coinage (1847-2018) series, these trade tokens and modern issues complement the official kingdom coinage (the 1847 cents, 1883 Kalakaua silver coins) by documenting the commercial and commemorative dimensions of Hawaiian numismatic history. A notable auction result reached $2.4K in PR69DCAM grade at eBay, though rare plantation tokens in high grade can command considerably stronger prices among specialists.