1883 $1 Hawaii MS(PCGS#10995)

November 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Commissaire-priseur

Stack's Bowers

Numéro du lot

3227

Grade

MS66

Prix

114 000

Description du lot

Outstanding technical quality and visual appeal in an example of this extremely challenging issue, this awe-inspiring dollar is the undisputed centerpiece of the complete Kingdom of Hawaii silver coinage set being offered in this sale. Both sides are pleasingly original with warm golden-gray and more vivid reddish-apricot iridescence that leaves the central obverse close to brilliant. A full endowment of softly frosted luster shines forth nicely as the coin rotates under a light. The dollar displays the least amount of intricate definition of the four silver denominations struck for circulation for the Kingdom of Hawaii, as designed, but superior striking quality for the present example has resulted in uncommonly sharp definition. The strike is full, in fact, and we note particularly intricate detail to the hair and beard on the obverse portrait. Surfaces that are remarkably smooth in a Hawaii dollar round out an impressive list of attributes for this conditionally rare upper end Gem.<p>The initiative to have the United States produce circulating silver coinage for the Kingdom of Hawaii came from Claus Spreckels, banker, sugar tycoon and the power behind the sovereign King Kalakaua I. The United States government accepted this proposal in 1883, as part of an ongoing initiative to improve friendly relations and economic links with the Hawaiian Islands. Using dies created by Charles E. Barber at the Philadelphia Mint, the San Francisco Mint struck $1,000,000 worth of silver coinage for circulation in four denominations: dime, quarter, half dollar and dollar. The coins circulated extensively at first, but their legal tender status was short lived. On January 14, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt approved an act of Congress to redeem the Hawaiian silver coins at par with United States coinage. Most examples were redeemed and melted, in fact, and by January 1, 1904 the Hawaiian coins were no longer legal tender. No more than $200,000 worth of coins was left outstanding from the original face value mintage of $1,000,000, with the larger denominations from the quarter through dollar being hardest hit by the redemption. Out of a mintage of 500,000 pieces, for example, all but 46,348 of the dollar coins were redeemed and destroyed. Among the survivors, worn condition is far more the norm than Mint State, and most pieces are also impaired due to cleaning, damage, etc. Attractive, original and problem free Gems such as that offered here are very rare and, on the few occasions when they appear at auction, represent a fleeting bidding opportunity for the quality conscious collector.