There were only two times Hawaii coinage was authorized. 1847 by King Kamehameha III and 1881 by King Kaluakaua I. Now, before you think this is an easy collection to acquire or this collection would be a great investment, read on. A. Because of the lack of sufficient low-denomination coins in Hawaii, King Kamehameha III entered into a contract with the United States of America for the striking of 100,000 copper HAPA DENERI (ONE CENT) coins. There are five varities of the HAPA HANERI. 1. There is a crosslet 4 in the date on the obverse. Also, on the obverse, is a large bust of the king. Because it is a large bust his tunic overlaps the 4 in the date. On the obverse are two berry branches with nine berries on each branch totaling 18 berries. 2. Obverse: A crosslet 4, large bust and tunic overlaps the 4. On the reverse, one branch has seven berries and the other bears eight berries totaling 15 berries. 3 A plain 4 on the obverse, small bust, tunic overlaps the 7. Reverse: One branch has eight berries, the other, 9 berries totaling 17 berries. 4. Obverse: Plain 4, small bust, tunic overlaps 7: Reverse: Eight and seven berries. Total 15 berries. 5. Obverse: Plain 4, small bust, tunic overlaps 7. Reverse: Total 14 berries. Present Red Book Prices: Fine/$300 Very Fine/$375 Extra Fine/$550 Almost Uncirculated/$950 Uncirculated/$2,200. The above prices make no diffrentiation between the five varieties. B. In 1883 King Kalakaua I authorized the striking of silver coinage. 1. Silver ten cent pieces. F/$60 VF/$100 EF/250 AU/$1,250 UNC/$2,400. 26 proofs struck $10,000. 2. Silver quarter-dollar pieces. F/$65 VF/$90 EF/$125 AU/$250 UNC/$425. 26 proofs $10,000. 3. Silver half dollar pieces. F/$100 VF/$150 EF/$275 AU/$1,200 UNC/$2,500. 26 prfs $12,500. 4. Silver dollar pieces. F/$325 VF/$450 EF/$750 AU$4,200 UNC/$9,500. 26 prfs $18,000. NOTE 1. There were twenty 1883 eigth-dollar proofs struck, but no business strikes. Valued at $40,000. Some collectors believe this to be a pattern coin instead of a proof. NOTE 2. An unauthorized mintage of five cent coins made of nickel were struck by the Paris Mint. The Red Book values are listed as: F/$4,000 VF/$6,000 EF/$9,000 AU/$12,500 UNC/$17,500. NOTE 3. In 1900 the legal status of these coins was removed and many were withdrawn from circulation and melted. It's my opinion a set of these coins would be desirable to own, but as an investment, the set or any individual coin would not appreciate enough to warrant the investment. However, there is a coin I would reccommend as an addition to a collection of Hawaiian coinage or as an investment on it's own principles. That coin is the 1928 Hawaiian Sesquicentennial half dollar struck by the Philadelphia Mint commemorating the 150th Anniversary of Captain James Cook's landing on Hawaii (he named them the Sandwich Islands) in 1778. Only 9,958 were struck for circulation and 50 proofs were struck. The proofs are currently priced at $14,000 and the business strikes are as follows: AU-50/$1,500 MS-60/$2,000 MS-63/$2,400 MS-65/$5,800. In my opinion the AU-50s, MS-60s, and MS-63s make the best investment. ClIck for photo: http://www.coinpage.com/large.php?tImageId=2124 Another bit of trivia: This commemorative was designed by Juliette May Fraser (no relation to James or Laura) a citizen of Hawaii living in Honalulu. Clinker
