Lot 1869
1928 Hawaiian Half Dollar. PCGS graded MS-65+. In a new secure plus holder. Pop 1; 75 finer, 70 in 66, 3 in 66+, 2 in 67. Mostly untoned. A satiny gem. Graceful underlying luster supports pale unevenly distributed gold toning. A pleasing example of the Commemorative which was issued for the 150th anniversary of Captain Cook’s "discovery" (for Europeans, anyway) of the Hawaiian archipelago. Nicely struck, and with excellent detail in hair and jacket, similar fine detail carrying over to the High Chief (no one in particular, just a generic representation of a typical Royal politician of the day).
At the time Cook visited the islands in 1778-79, there were 8 inhabited islands. The Big Island, most southerly of the eight, was split between rival tribes and was the birthplace of the later King Kamehameha, who was but a young man when Cook arrived. Islands other than the Big Island were individually controlled or sometimes two or more were associated under one chief. As always in politico-monarchial hierarchies, rivalries were rampant, wars brief but intense, life for the commoners "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short", Territories changed hands constantly. It wasn’t until, over a 25 year period, that Kamehameha the First finally consolidated power throughout the islands. 1810 is the closing year of this episode, the final holdout being Kauai, whose ruler King Kaumualii pledged allegiance to Kamehameha rather than face an invasion. For the most part, thereafter, peace descended like a welcome gift from the gods upon the Hawaiian populace after 500 years or more of contentiousness (PCGS # 9309) .
Estimated Value $3,300 - 3,500.
The Forsythe Collection.
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| Realized $4,025 |
