Month: February 2014

MOC Issues

/ DrDarryl

The collector term  “Mint On Card” or MOC means as issued and sealed in its original card. The term “card” is loosely used to mean its originally issued display packaging.

Why the fuss with MOC?

It means the item (coin, medal, ingot, etc…)  has never been touch by the hands of anyone. It means it’s in pristine as issued condition.

How does this apply to Hawaiiana numismatic collecting?

MOCs are  highly prized for the Franklin Mint issues relating to Hawaii.

What are the Franklin Mint issues?

Medcalf and Russell integrated several Franklin Mint issues into their catalog. A few are identified as “FM” others are not.

Are all the Hawaiiana related Franklin Mint issues identified in the Medcalf and Russell book?

Nope. I can confidently say that there are 90+ issues and most are not identified in the 1991 M & R catalog.

What are the undocumented Hawaiian related Franklin Mint issues?

I’m researching and writing about about these issues.  My book is planned to be  released in 2014.

How are MOC and undocumented  Hawaiian Franklin Mint issues related?

Untapped future demand. If you see it, buy it! It also applies to the documented Franklin Mint issues (it’s as pristine as one can get it).

Below is an example of a 2SI-20 MOC. Notice how its housed on the card. Most 2SI-20 suffer from mishandling due to its delicateness.

2cent

Below is a MOC variation (Mint On Cover). This medal is 2M-337. The postal cover holds a card that houses the medal. The cover (reverse side) also functions as a certificate of authenticity (COA).

cover

Below is a 2M-400 MOC.

ual2

Below is an undocumented ingot (rough draft of a page from my book still being written).

queen

Here is the reverse of above MOC specimen. Again, notice how its housed. Untouched since 1977 (lower left bottom indicates the year) .

ql2

Coin Business 101

/ DrDarryl

I purchased a Hawaiian medal on eBay recently. Only issue was there was postage due. Yes, the Hawaiian Numismatist loss 63 cents on the transaction…

Coin business tip- Please use the eBay’s discount postage app after you weigh the packaged item or suffer a 1 star rating…

63cents

H.C. & S.

/ DrDarryl

Below is an image of an undocumented copper token with the initials  H.C. & S.  These initials match Hawaiian Commercial  & Sugar that was based on the island of Maui from 1882 to the present.

hcstoken

 

H.C.&S. or simply HC&S was one of a few California incorporated sugar companies from the late 1800’s doing business in the Kingdom of Hawaii. If you know you Maui sugar history, Claus Spreckels (sugar baron and the individual who aided in minting the Kingdom of Hawaii silver coins)  along with Alexander & Baldwin (A&B) purchased the Hawaiian Commercial Company in 1872.

In 1882, HC&S was incorporated as a California Corporation.

In 1896, the HC&S Paia company store was built

In 1898, A&B buys out HC&S from Claus Spreckels . A&B also gain control of other Maui sugar plantations (Paia and Haiku).

In 1899, HC&S buys Kahului Railroad from the Wilder family. HC&S also buys Maui Railroad and Steamship Company from Claus Spreckels. A&B merges these railroad operations to form Kahului Railroad Company.

In 1902, HC&S puts the Puunene mill online.

By 1935, HC&S has 26 plantation camps that houses more than 7,000 employees and their families.

If you noticed I mentioned a few companies with known tokens (Haiku Plantation and Kahului Railroad). Could it be possible that Medcalf & Russell and other authors missed documenting this token?

Additional research is still required to officially list it as a Hawaiian token…

The link is an image to HC&S Kahului store.

http://archives1.dags.hawaii.gov/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=894

 

 

 

Tax Time is Here…

/ DrDarryl

My hobby interests takes turns like a minute hand rotates around the face of an analog clock.

However, when you have duplicates in your stamp collection( yes , I’m a philatelist also.)  you either sell or donate, right? (I’m not at a point to have duplicates in my Hawaiiana numismatic collection).

I recently found my stamp  donation letter  as part of my 2013 tax paperwork hunt. I made the donation back in August 2013.

I weaned out a small set of duplicates from my stamp collection last year. The original cost for this weaned group of modern day stamp duplicates was a mere $74.98 (2 cents shy of $75). After 9 years, the catalog price was a staggering 4 figure amount (see the letter).

2013