Year: 2013

New Find – Captain James Cook

/ DrDarryl

I’ve been on the hunt for some Hawaiiana medals and sometimes all it takes is your knowledge about Hawaiiana history….

Captain James Cook discovered (made the world aware) of  the Hawaiian Islands on his third voyage. He commanded the HMS Resolution…

Below is a unlisted bronze medal of Captain James Cook and the HMS Resolution found on a Medalist First Day Cover (FDC). Population of this of this FDC is documented as 1,000 made (see the back side of cover).

The total number of bronze medals struck  is undetermined, however the 1,000 is valid population estimate. It is highly unlikely that these medals were sold individually as the prime interest in making this FDC was for the philately community (not the numismatic community). This is one example in which the Hawaiiana numismatist can locate items in a crossover or related Hawaiiana collectible area.

THN-MCS-001

Pantheon Saloon Token 2TS-21

/ DrDarryl

I keep admiring  a Pantheon Saloon token being offered by a dealer and could no longer resist. I had to make it part of  my collection.

I compared this specimen with images of others that I could find online. I finally decided to purchase it after comparing it with a NGC MS63 specimen. I believe this one will grade higher if I submitted to NGC. The only issue I may have is the surface (which maybe taken care of by NCS).

The  strike is incredibly bold and the  details look freshly minted. No trace of wear. The selling point for me was the boldness of the small text “C.A. Klinker & Co. S.F”. Where SF is San Francisco.

Here is a link to an image of the Pantheon Saloon in the late 1880’s.  

1895 Pantheon Saloon Honolulu Token

As for the token’s year, most online references (at auction websites) indicate 1895 . As I have investigated, it maybe as earlier 1881 as this October 1881 newspaper clipping indicates.  Jim Dodd’s Pantheon Saloon licences (retail spirit and billiards) was to expire in the month of November 1881.

October 1881 News clip of Jim Dodd and Pantheon Saloon

Hawaii Related/Themed Mardi Gras Doubloons

/ DrDarryl / 2 Comments

Why should anyone care about Hawaii related/themed Mardi Gras doubloons?

M&R did!

2M-272, 2M-273, and 2M-274 are Hawaii related Mardi Gras doubloons from 1969. And 2M-167 is another Hawaii related Mardi Gras doubloon from 1980.

Ok..so what?

There is a gap of years that do not list any Mardi Gras doubloon in M&R!

From the years 1970 through 1979 and years 1981 through 1991 (year of publishing for the 2nd edition of M&R book) Hawaii related/themed Mardi Gras doubloons are missing.

Did they have any Hawaii related or themed floats during these years? Apparently yes and they are not listed in M&R.

doubloonsset

  • THN-CPE-01, 1968 Command Performance with Dancers (Hula, Ballet, others),  gold aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 4 grams
  • THN-KOA-01, 1969 Native Dancers of the World (Dula Dancer on left), silver ox alloy, mintage undocumented, 39mm,  23 grams
  • THN-KOA-02, 1969 Native Dancers of the World (Hula Dancer on left), antique bronze, mintage undocumented, 39mm,  23 grams
  • THN-LMA-01, 1971 Hawaii with Hula dancer, gold aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 9 grams
  • THN-LMA-02, 1971 Hawaii with Hula dancer, purple aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 9 grams
  • THN-LMA-03, 1971 Hawaii with Hula dancer, green aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 9 grams
  • THN-LMA-04, 1971 Hawaii with Hula dancer, green aluminum with gold aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 9 grams
  • THN-AQU-01, 1975 Aloha Hawaii with state motto,  aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 4 grams
  • THN-AQU-02, 1975 Aloha Hawaii with state motto, gold aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 4 grams
  • THN-KNE-01, 1976 Hawaii 50th State Ali’i with Helmet, aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 4 grams
  • THN-ISP-01, 1977 Island Splendors/Hula Dancer and Male on Drums, purple aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 4 grams
  • THN-NCC-01, 1978 Aloha Hawaii with Diamond Head/Hula Dancer, gold aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 4 grams
  • THN-JSC-01, 1980 Islands in the Sun/Hula Dancer,  aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 4 grams
  • THN-TWC-01, 1985 Music Instruments being played with Hula dancer in celebration,  aluminum,  mintage undocumented, 39mm, 4 grams

The Hawaiian Flags of Confusion

/ DrDarryl

I noticed an ad at an unnamed auction site, a seller stated that his Hawaii flag silver ingot was the real thing and all others were unscrupulously being offered for sale. Misinformation and incomplete knowledge led to this seller’s statement.

There are actually 6  known Hawaiian flag sterling silver ingots that were issued by a single manufacturer  prior to 1991. This is how to identify these ingots.

hawaiiflags

The first group is identified by the reverse of the ingot. It has the words “HAWAII” (all capitalized), underneath are the words “The Aloha State” and “Flag Adopted: April 8, 1896”. These are proof sterling silver ingots as identified by the  M&R  catalog numbers:

  • 2SI-18 (aka full size)
  • 2SI-19 (aka mini)
  • Wait, M&R incorrectly stated the mintage figures (see below)…

thf2

The second group is also identified by the reverse of the ingot. It has the words “THE HAWAIIAN FLAG” (all capitalized) with text “This flag flew over independent Hawaii from 1845 until the United States agreed to annex the territory August 12, 1898 Continues in use today as state flag.” These are proof sterling silver ingots as identified by the  M&R  catalog numbers:

  •  2SI-16 (aka full size)
  •  2SI-17  (aka mini)
  • Wait, M&R incorrectly stated the mintage figures (see below) and missed the 24KT gold on silver …

thf1

If you review page 149 of M&R. You are going to still be confused due to the visual  grouping (Hawaii Flag and with its varieties listed). A more cleaner listing using the THN catalog number and to correct mintage totals and gold omission.

  • THN-FM-FOSI-01, The Aloha State Flag, sterling silver,  proof,  mintage 5,803
  • THN-FM-FOSI-02, The Aloha State Flag, sterling silver, mini ingot,  proof-like, mintage 3,576
  • THN-FM-FOAI-01, The Hawaiian Flag (set), sterling silver,  proof, mintage 4,892
  • THN-FM-FOAI-02, The Hawaiian Flag (individual sold), sterling silver,  proof, mintage unknown
  • THN-FM-FOAI-03, The Hawaiian Flag , 24KT gold on 0.500 silver,  proof, mintage 1,124
  • THN-FM-FOAI-04, The Hawaiian Flag ,  sterling silver,  mini ingot, proof-like, mintage 18,412

Source sets are to be identified in the book currently being written. The gold on 0.50 silver is a new find!

From the mintage total, I would be looking for the gold on 0.50 silver ingots as the key to complete the Hawaiian Flag ingot set.

Hawaii’s Blue Currency – 2PC-1

/ DrDarryl

Listed in M&R as 2PC-1, this depression scrip is a 1933 Honolulu Clearing House Certificate $1 from the Territory of Hawaii.

These certificates were short lived and only issued in reaction to March 1933 Emergency Banking Act or “Banking Holiday” during the Great Depression. If you remember your US history, within a month (April 1933)  Executive Order 6102  was signed by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt “forbidding the Hoarding of Gold Coin, Gold Bullion, and Gold Certificates within the continental United States”. These were harsh monetary times and the government took action.

As part of the banking holiday, all the banks in the Territory of Hawaii quickly formed the Honolulu Clearing House Association. This association issued 750,000 of these $1 certificates. At the end of the redemption period, a mere 2,412 of these certificates were left outstanding. This small surviving number makes these notes scarce today.

The $1 notes are known for the Liberty Head medal (center) and bi-planes on each side. The blue ink on white paper makes the note’s visual uniqueness pops at you.

This high grade specimen resides in my personal collection.

bm1

bm2