1 Cent, Hawaii, 1847
date: label: date made
content: 1847
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: One (1) cent coin
label: Description (Brief)
content: Hawaii, 1847
label: Description (Brief)
content: Obverse Image: Portrait of Kamehameha III, King of the Hawaiian Islands.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Obverse Text: KAMAHAMEHA III / KA MOI / 1847
label: Description (Brief)
content: Reverse Image: Wreath.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Reverse Text: AUPUNI HAWAII / HAPA / HANERI
label: Description
content: This one cent copper Keneta or “One Cent” featuring the profile of King Kamehameha III of the Hawaiian Islands (1813 – 1854) was first of only five coins issued for general circulation in the Kingdom of Hawaii. In the early nineteenth century, merchants relied on foreign coinage, but had frequent problems with currency shortages. In 1847, Kamehameha III commissioned 100,000 copper one cent coins. The country did not have the resources to mint the coinage themselves, so it was minted privately in the United States. Designed and engraved by Edward Hulseman, the obverse of the coin depicts an image of Kamehameha III with the words “Ka Moi” or “the King” while the reverse features a laurel wreath with the words “Aupuni Hawaii” or “Kingdom of Hawaii” along the edge and the words “Hapa Haneri” or “one penny” in the center. The coins were unpopular due to the poor casting of Kamehameha’s features and the misspelling of “Hapa Hanele.” While the coins were a disappointment to the Hawaiians, these coins remained a legal tender until 1884 and circulated even later. They were finally replaced by United States currency in 1900, two years after Hawaii became a U.S. territory.
place: label: place made
content: United States: Hawaii
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
label: See more items in
content: Many Voices, One Nation
label: Exhibition
content: Many Voices, One Nation
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Chase Manhattan Bank
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1979.1263.01867
label: catalog number
content: 79.112.CM01087
label: accession number
content: 1979.1263
label: collector/donor number
content: CM01087
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Coin
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: copper (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: .2 cm x 2.75 cm; 3/32 in x 1 3/32 in