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About this journal

If it's related to Hawaii, I will share it with you !

Entries in this journal

Numismatic Detective -- Re-discovered Hawaii SC50C Error

Thick vs Thin => re-discovered error I received 11 encapsulated medals/coins back from NGC. Of particular interest is the 1959 Hawaii Statehood SC50C Thick (aka Heraldic Art Medal). This so called 50 cent Thick variety has a mintage of 1,200 (while the Thin variety has a mintage of 4,600). The Thin was illegally made the same thickness as a standard silver half dollar. I examined my newly arrived MS 68 Thick with my MS 68 Thin. I found that my Thick variety had a 180 degree rotated revers

Numismatic Detective - The Hula Dancer and the Changing Volcano

I was observing the hula dancer then ...WAM BAM As I was checking my hoard of Hawaii Statehood SC50C (aka 2MS-4 and 2MS-5, as defined in the NGC sanctioned and approved referenced book, Hawaiian Money Standard Catalog) I made a discovery. I was performing a NGC 68 to NGC 68 comparison to improve my grading ability (I was also comparing my NGC 66 and 67). WAM BAM, it hit me. I saw a shifting volcano. As the pictures indicates. Focus on the hula dancer's head. Then look at the volc

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Rare Uniface 1959 Official Hawaii Statehood Medal

Only 30 of these fully struck uniface medals are documented to have been struck Notice the NII HAU spelling error... Notice the bright bronze surface (oxidized in later stage of production)... Notice the excessive outward flow of medal (trimmed in later stage of production)... To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Numismatic Detective - New Discovery Hawaiian Style

New metals for a medal.... Not many are aware that the Hawaiian Memories medals (as listed in the Hawaiian Money Standard Catalog by Medcalf & Russell) come in two additional metals (bright bronze and antique bronze).... I made this discovery recently.... To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Numismatic Detective -- Father of Modern Surfing

Surfs up dudes/dudettes... The book Hawaiian Money: Standard Catalog "Second Edition" by Medcalf and Russell is the so-called "bible" for Hawaii numismatics. However, as a generalized catalog there numerous examples in which specific details are simply missing. This is a source of intrigue for me (filling in the holes in numismatic references). In this journal entry are the results of researching medal 2M-225 (page 115 of Hawaiian Money) also known as the Duke Paoa Kahanamoku -- Father of Mo

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Patience is a good thing ... Part 2

Day 85 and counting ... My previous update on this topic was made on day 72 (read my earlier journal entry titled: "Patience is a good thing"). Another 13 days have since passed. Once again, the saga of my three raw medals on the path to "certificationhood" continues. I believed (and hoped) that this saga would have ended today. I picked up my registered mail (from NGC) at the US Post Office and inspected its contents. The three medals (along with twelve others) made the trip back

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Numismatic Detective - Hula Dancer and the Jet

Hula girl provides a visual dance that dramatizes or portrays words ... the jet provides travel... The medal of interest in this journal entry is called the Hawaiian Eye Fogal. Not much information is documented on the Hawaiian Eye Fogal medals, Medcalf & Russell 2M-128 (silver-nickel) and 2M-129 (antique bronze). These medals are unique in that it houses a miniature eye-piece that functions as a magnifying glass. Based on physical inspection of specimens I acquired, weight is 26 grams

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Meaning of the Numismatic Detective Title

I don't want to regurgitate so I must create! I use the heading "Numismatic Detective" with the condition that what I document is new information that I created, derived or is missing in numismatic reference books or periodicals. I try not to "regurgitate" all my information that was previously documented by other numismatic sources. Why? I was once given an example by a professor. Three college students were given a blank piece of paper and told to take notes during the guest lecture. The f

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Patience is a good thing ...

Day 72 and counting... I'm not complaining or wish any ill will on anyone on the NCS and NGC staff... On November 8, 2012 NCS received 4 medals on invoice 5413920. Medals were conserved and shipped to NGC. On December 5, 2012, NGC declared the medals as ineligible type. An email was sent to NGC asking for the reason why the ineligible status was assigned. December 10, 2012, NGC replied indicated it was an error for declaring the items as ineligible. I was told that the medals were s

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Dirty Hawaiian Beauty is Really Dirty in More Ways Than One

Packed up my next 5 item submittal. Bumps up my total to 16 items in the queue at NCS/NGC. I was filling out my NCS submittal form and reviewing both the Medcalf & Russell and Hibler & Kappen reference books to correctly describe/identify each coin entered on the form. Upon reading the HK-723 description I became curious. The words "...except obvious die variety." was an invitation to compare my HK-722 against my HK-723. I looked at each medal individually with my loupe. I then d

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Dirty Hawaiian Beauty Bounced into My Grasp

NGC census reflects a total population of 2 for the entire coin series... I've been looking hard and long to acquire this coin... I purchased a raw Undated Hawaii HK-722A so called dollar. She looks a bit scruffy, but hopefully NCS can work their eye appeal miracle for me. Hibler & Kappenan assigned a R-6 Fuld rarity scale to this coin. Between 21 - 75 specimens are possibly known to be extant. My Undated Hawaii So Called Dollar Type set is now complete. I'm planning to ship this c

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Numismatic Detective -- My Dual Identity Coin

Two NGC designations (medal and coin)! As I was putting away my recent arrivals from NGC, I re-examined my "UNDATED 2M-329 HAWAII ALOHA CARNIVAL HAWAII ISLAND SEAL" in VF 25 (pictured below). Then it occurred to me to check the NGC census.... Then a new issue presented itself. The UNDATED 2M-329 HAWAII ALOHA CARNIVAL HAWAII ISLAND SEAL and UNDATED HI HK-721 HONOLULU CARNIVAL DOLLAR SC$1 (as listed in the NGC Census) are the exact same coin from different collector perspectives. The first

Numismatic Detective -- Official Hawaii Statehood Medal Revisited

Do you own the lowest serial number NIIHAU correction medal? Recently, I acquired another Official Hawaiian Statehood medal in sterling silver (submitted for NGC grading and encapsulation earlier in November 2012). This specimen is serial number 1309. In a previous journal entry I presented original research that concludes that serial number 1266 is currently the known "discovery" medal that corrected the the NII HAU spelling error (space inserted between the letter I and H) to NIIHAU (sing

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Knowledge Empowers the Collector -- Part 3

1959 Official Alaska Statehood Medal Progression Set I have not found any instance where a similar progression set was listed at a major auction house. There is one instance where "completed" medals (in different finishes and coloration) were auction listed. http://preview.outside-affiliatelinksnotallowed.com/bf8b9ol There is one instance where a single "trail strike" was auction listed. http://preview.outside-affiliatelinksnotallowed.com/a9ell2m This set is definitely housed in an a

Knowledge Empowers the Collector -- Part 2

1959 Official Hawaii Statehood Medal Progression Set and a Part 3 teaser... I have only found two instances where a similar progression set was listed at a major auction house (Ira & Larry Goldberg Auctioneers May 2006 and Stack's September 2006). MedalBlog (A Worldpress blog) by D. Wayne Johnson (corporate historian and senior consultant for the Medallic Art Company and was director of research with Medallic Art Company from January 1966 until December 1976) answered a question by a rea

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Knowledge Empowers the Collector -- Part 1

What a find! I review auction listings periodically and scan for items of interest to add to my collection. Two weeks ago, I found a very interesting listing. The seller did not know exactly what they were selling (as stated in the listing) and was not able to locate any information about his item. My "cherry picker" curiosity kicked in. I reviewed the wording in the auction listing and its pictures multiple times. The information provided was sparse and the low quality pictures were not tha

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

1941-Dated "Remember Pearl Harbor" Medals

My new custom set listing ... http://preview.outside-affiliatelinksnotallowed.com/cqwkfsu A few medals belonging in this custom set are on their way back home to me from NGC grading/encapsulation, hence the extensive write-up in the set's description. The purpose of this set is to be a numismatic reference for the "Remember Pearl Harbor" medals (since the medal is basically unknown, information is not readily available, and the medal lays claim in being the first US numismatic item to depi

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Knowledge Empowers the Collector (previous journal entry removal)

I had to remove my original journal entry ... For those of you who read my original entry (posted this past weekend) got a glimpse of a recent purchase I made. It was about a naive auction lot seller and informed auction lot buyer. I removed the journal entry as the auction purchasing process is still running its course. I will re-post the original journal entry, provide an updated journal entry and point out additional interesting material I found relating to the purchased item. This pur

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

I Miss College ... Sort Of...

Got my grades today ... NGC grades I never did have a low grade in college...but... My NGC submittal (received by NGC on 11/08/2012) results were revealed to me this afternoon. This entry is about my HK-721 so called dollar (aka Honolulu Carnival Dollar, Honolulu (Aloha) Carnival Dollar, Mid-Pacific Aloha Carnival Dollar, Dukie, etc...) submittal. No slab image at this time. HK-721 so called dollar has a Fuld Rarity of R-5 (76 - 200 known). NGC census is currently at 6 graded (not i

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

NGC Coin Details - Slick Smartphone App

Fun with my smartphone ... Even scans a barcode image on a laptop screen The "NGC Coin Details" smartphone app is a wonderful certification verification tool (used on my Samsung GALAXY S III). The barcode scanner is terrific (saves time from manually typing in the lengthy NGC certification number). I checked out many of my NGC encapsulated coins within my collection today and was very impressed. Most did not display an image of the actual coin, but did verify its certification. On a whim,

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

US Mint 2013 Product Release Schedule

Planning purchases and possible visit to first day release ceremonies... I visited the US Mint website a few days ago and reviewed their 2013 product release schedule. I am speculating that there is a high probability that I will be attending the release ceremony at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historical Shrine in August/September 2013 (as I did for the 2012 Star Spangled Banner commemorative coins). I find coin release ceremonies interesting ... I found a website for the Hawai'i Vo

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Snail pace turnaround for specialty areas

I patiently wait...still enjoying life NGC status 11/05/2012 - 11 medals (Hawaii related) sent registered at my local US post office 11/08/2012 - Received at NGC 12/14/2012 - Scheduled for grading TBD - TBD My Status - 26 consecutive days of vacation (started 11/09/12, ended 12/04/12) - Daily morning runs windward Oahu (various distances) - 10 mile Turkey trot run in Honolulu (on turkey day) - Spent Thanksgiving in Hawaii with parents, brothers, sister and relativ

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Hawaii Numismatics 101 - World vs US Listing

Delineating Hawaiian numismatics between World and US listings NGC classifies coins, tokens and medals in the Medcalf & Russell reference (Hawaiian Money Standard Catalog) as "World Coins". However, in checking the online NGC World Coin Census there are no United States selection or Hawaii selection. I would have expected the Hawaii coins, tokens and medals to be listed here as they are classified as "World Coins" In addition, if you check the online NGC US Coin Census, NGC only lists

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

Inadvertent NGC Body Bags

My Pearl Harbor Casualties circa 12/12/12 While on my Hawaiian vacation, I was dismayed in learning that three of my 1941 Remember Pearl Harbor medals from my NCS/NGC submittal were flagged as "Ineligible Type" (class of coin, medal or token that NGC does not certify). Wait ... what do you mean they are "Ineligible Type"? After I arrived back to the east coast, I sent an email to NGC to explain to me which specific items in the Medcalf & Russell reference book (Hawaiian Money Standard

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

TheHawaiianaNumismatist

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