United States 1928 half dollar KM-163
Authorization
Captain James Cook, the famed British navigator chanced upon the Hawaiian islands in 1778 on a voyage across the Pacific. From a European standpoint, Hawaii was "uncivilized" at that time. The beauty that Cook beheld on January 20, 1778, when he made his first landing at Kauai Island's Waimea Bay, was raw and unspoiled by Western civilization. Thereafter, however, the history of Hawaii would be forever altered by the encounter. Cook would be acclaimed as "discoverer" of the lush island chain, which he named the Sandwich Islands in honor of his patron, the Earl of Sandwich.
By 1928, the 150th anniversary of Cook's visit, the islands' history had undergone many twists and turns, taking them through periods of British domination, nominal independence and, at length, annexation in 1898 as a territory of the United States. The people of Hawaii were keenly aware, however, of the British explorer's role in altering the direction of that history, and they therefore made plans for a series of special events to mark the sesquicentennial of his arrival. As part of that celebration, they sought approval for the issuance of a U.S. commemorative coin whose sale would raise revenue to help form a collection of Cook memorabilia in the territory's archives (now at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu). That coin, the 1928 Hawaiian Sesquicentennial half dollar, turned out to be one of the rarest and most valuable of all U.S. commemorative issues.
Authorizing legislation was introduced in Congress on December 5, 1927, by Commander Victor S. K. Houston, the territory's delegate to that body. He seems to have been exceptionally confident of its passage, for more than a month earlier, on November 2, 1927, he had submitted preliminary design sketches to the federal Fine Arts Commission. His confidence was justified, however, for on March 7, 1928, Congress approved the coin. The coins were struck in June, 1928 at the Philadelphia Mint from dies produced privately by Medallic Art Company of New York City. The coins went on sale October 8 of that year under the supervision of the Bank of Hawaii, Ltd., with a $2 issue price, the highest of any U.S. commemorative up to that time.
Obverse
The design was fashioned by Juliette May Fraser, a well-known Honolulu artist. Coinage models were then prepared by prominent sculptor-medallist Chester Beach, himself the designer of two earlier U.S. commemoratives, the 1923 Monroe Doctrine Centennial and 1925 Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial half dollars. The obverse features a left-facing bust of Cook based on a cameo portrait crafted by his noted contemporary, Josiah Wedgwood. This belonged to Bruce Cartwright Jr., a prominent numismatist who headed the Hawaiian coin's distribution commission. To Cook's left are the words CAPT. JAMES COOK DISCOVERER OF HAWAII, along with a tiny compass pointing north, signifying that he was looking due west toward the mid-Pacific region. Two statutory inscriptions, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and IN GOD WE TRUST, appear at the top and right-hand side, respectively. The value HALF DOLLAR hugs the lower rim, with eight small pyramids - four to each side - representing Hawaii's eight largest volcanic islands: Oahu, Hawaii, Niihau, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and Maui. The design's subtle symbolism extends to such details as the flowing lettering and wavy inner border, both of which are meant to suggest the sea. Chester Beach's initials CB can be found within a circle behind Cook's left shoulder.
Reverse
The coin's reverse depicts a native warrior chieftain attaining the top of a hill, a metaphor for Hawaii's rise from obscurity. He is clad in a feather cloak and holds a barbed spear. His hand is extended in welcome, showing that his (and the islands') intentions are peaceful. A coconut tree behind him denotes romance, while the landscape in the distance represents part of Waikiki Beach (long before the luxury hotels), with Diamond Head looking down on a row of grass huts. This is meant to signify history and antiquity. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM is at the lower left, and the dual dates 1778-1928 are along the base, again in wavy characters symbolic of the sea.
Recorded Mintage: 10,008.
Specification: 192.9 grains = 12.50 grams, 0.900 fine silver, 30.6 mm diameter, reeded edge.
Catalog reference: KM 163.
- Breen, Walter H., Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Coins, New York: Doubleday, 1987.
- Slabaugh, Arlie R., United States Commemorative Coinage, 2nd Ed., Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing, 1975.
- Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed., Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011
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