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CARDBOARD SCRIP NOTES OF LAHAINALUNA SEMINARY, HAWAII

The E-Sylum (1/10/2010)


Book Content

We recently reviewed a new book on Alaska numismatic items, so here's equal time for Hawaii. Presale publicity for the Stack's January 26th - 27th Americana Sale highlighted lot 2023, an interesting set of scrip notes from the state. FDR collected stamps and coins; will President Obama, formerly of Hawaii place a bid? -Editor

From the lot description:

Lahainaluna Seminary, Hawaii. Denomination Set of Six Cardboard Scrip Notes. No Date [ca.1843-1844]. Average Choice Extremely Fine.

A superb and extremely rare set of local scrip avidly collected in the Hawaiian series for generations. They were produced locally and for local use. All are uniface on thick card-like stock. They range in size from 30x20mm to 80x45mm. Denominations include Hapumi, 3 Keneta, Hapawalu (1/8 Dollar), Hapaha (1/4 Dollar), Hapalua (1/2 Dollar), and Hookahi Dala (Dollar). A well designed and printed set of "notes" from copper plates.

Listed in Medcalf & Russell as PE-10 to PE-15. The folk-art style is quite exceptional. Supposedly, only 228 sheets of notes were printed on the thin paper and affixed to card stock to circulate as "tokens." There were actually two issues of these. Notes from the first are not known in issued form (only a complete, un-mounted sheet survives) and these notes represent examples from the second issue with differing "secret" marks from the first plate.

Lahainaluna Seminary, Hawaii script notes

To view the complete lot description, see: Lahainaluna Seminary, Hawaii. Denomination Set of Six Cardboard Scrip Notes (http://www.stacks.com/lotdetail.aspx?lsid=AN00000754&lotno=2023)

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