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1883 Hawaiian Eighth $1 Silver NGC PR61

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:10,000.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
1883 Hawaiian Eighth $1 Silver NGC PR61
1883 Hawaiian Eighth Dollar Silver. NGC graded Proof 61 KM-4. Lovely blue and golden toning at the periphery. Key denomination. Struck in silver with a reeded edge. The most important of the Hawaiian coins and rarely offered for sale. Of the five denominations made by Philadelphia Mint engraver Charles Barber for the Kingdom of Hawaii coins, the eighth dollar -- or HAPAWALU in the Hawaiian language (meaning half of eight, or the fraction 1/8) -- was the only one not adopted for use. When it came time to strike the circulation issue coins, an agreement was reached with the Hawaiian representatives to substitute the ten-cent piece for the hapawalu. And this denomination, along with the quarter, fifty cent, and dollar denominations were struck in proof and business strike format. That left the rare eighth coins as the only struck exclusively as Proofs. Mint records indicate 20 pieces were coined (there being 26 Proofs made of the other four denominations). The difference may be related to six proof sets that were struck at the Philadelphia Mint in September 1883 according to the Breen encyclopedia.

This piece has all of the usual hallmarks of its Proof origin: razor-sharp devices, mirror-reflective fields on both sides, sharp rims, and squared-off lettering in the legends and on the tops of the date digits, along with two-tone or frosted contrast between devices and fields. Anyone assembling a truly complete set of Hawaiian coinage will eventually have to deal with acquiring one of these. Best to take the plunge while the opportunity exists! Pop 1; 5 in 63; 1 in 66.
Estimated Value $20,000 - 30,000.
Ex Muribachi collection; From the 9/09 Hawaii Collection.

Our item number 153779