Aloha! A Fresh, Original, Gem Quality 1883 Kingdom of Hawaii Silver Type Set to be Featured in November 2025 Rarities Night

While not yet a territory of the United States, the United States Mint won a contract to strike coins for the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1883. Dimes, quarters half dollars and silver dollars totaling $1,000,000 in face value were struck in the San Francisco Mint from dies designed by Charles Barber. Their time in circulation was somewhat short lived, as the Hawaiian Islands became a territory of the United States in 1898, and an act of congress signed on January 14, 1903 allowed for Hawaiian coins to be exchanged at par for U.S. coins. By January 1, 1904, much of the mintage had been redeemed and melted, and those not redeemed had lost their legal tender status.

A remarkable quality type set, recently uncovered in Europe, has been consigned to our November sale. While each coin will be sold on its own, they were clearly retained by a collector at the time of striking and were kept safely together over the last 142 years. Each piece is incredibly well preserved and graded by PCGS.

The dime is graded MS-65 with a GOLD CAC sticker, suggesting that the coin is conservatively graded and would receive a green CAC sticker at a higher grade.

The quarter is graded MS-65 with a green CAC sticker.

The half dollar is graded MS-64+ and has a green CAC sticker.

The dollar is graded MS-66 and is CAC approved. This example ranks among the highest graded survivors, with just four graded MS-66 at PCGS and an equal number graded higher.

Each coin offers marvelous eye appeal and bears varying degrees of similar toning; you can tell instantly that this quartet had been carefully and lovingly stored, untouched. A bold underlying luster amplifies the rich mottled slate, russet, gold, azure, orange, and pearlescent silver. The surfaces are likewise clean and free of distracting contact marks, and the strike is bold to full on each.