Hawaiian Patterns & Fantasy Strikes

About This Coin

Hawaiian Patterns and Fantasy Strikes encompass the experimental, proposed, and unofficial coinage designs associated with the Kingdom and Republic of Hawaii, including patterns prepared by Charles Barber at the United States Mint and fantasy pieces produced by private manufacturers. A notable auction result of $118,000 in PR66RB grade at Legend Rare Coin Auctions demonstrates the extraordinary value that the rarest Hawaiian numismatic pieces command in the collector market. The pattern category includes trial strikes and design proposals for Hawaiian coinage that were considered but never adopted for regular production, documenting the design evolution behind the kingdom's official issues. Chief Engraver Charles Barber's involvement connects Hawaiian patterns to the U.S. Mint's die-cutting expertise, as the kingdom contracted with the Philadelphia Mint to produce its official 1883 Kalakaua coinage and Barber prepared dies for both the adopted designs and rejected alternatives. Fantasy strikes include pieces produced outside official channels, sometimes using genuine dies paired with unauthorized compositions or denominations, and sometimes created entirely by private parties to satisfy collector demand for Hawaiian numismatic material. The category bridges the history of the Hawaiian monarchy's monetary ambitions with the broader narrative of American territorial expansion in the Pacific, as Hawaii's transition from independent kingdom to annexed territory to statehood is reflected in its numismatic record from the 1847 cent through modern commemorative issues.