Hawaiian Medals

About This Coin

Reflecting the unique numismatic heritage of the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Medals encompass commemorative and historical medals associated with the Kingdom of Hawaii, the Republic of Hawaii, the Territory of Hawaii, and eventually the State of Hawaii across a span from the mid-nineteenth century through the modern era. The Kingdom of Hawaii maintained a sophisticated relationship with international coinage and medal production, commissioning pieces from the Paris Mint, the San Francisco Mint, and various private manufacturers to celebrate royal events, commemorate government achievements, and project Hawaiian sovereignty through the universal diplomatic language of medallic art. King Kalakaua I, who reigned from 1874 to 1891 and authorized the famous 1883 Hawaiian silver coinage, was particularly active in commissioning medals that presented Hawaii as a legitimate monarchy deserving of diplomatic recognition alongside the established nations of Europe and the Americas. The medals feature a striking range of designs incorporating both Western medallic conventions and distinctly Hawaiian cultural elements, including Hawaiian language inscriptions, indigenous flora and fauna, and royal portraits in both Western and Hawaiian ceremonial dress. The annexation of Hawaii by the United States in 1898 and subsequent territorial period generated additional medals commemorating the political transition, while statehood in 1959 prompted a final wave of commemorative medallic production. Collectors of Hawaiian numismatics prize medals from the Kingdom period for their rarity, their artistic quality, and their connection to a sovereign nation that no longer exists — lending these pieces a poignancy that purely commemorative medals from established nations rarely achieve. Proof and specimen strikes from the major mints command the highest premiums, with notable auction results in the five-figure range confirming the strength of collector demand for choice Hawaiian medallic material.