HONOLULU — Two rare Hawaiian coins, estimated to be worth $40,000 and $15,000, are being auctioned online.
The 19th century coins belonged to a Hawaiian memorabilia collector whose widow showed them to a coin dealer.
The more valuable coin is a 12½-cent piece known as a hapawalu, which means "one-eighth" in Hawaiian, said Win Callender, a coin expert and consignment director of Heritage Auction Galleries. The Texas-based auction house is conducting the auction, which closes Wednesday.
The hapawalu is one of 20 minted in 1883 and the Hawaiian kingdom's first silver coin, Callender said. The coin was used a proof and never circulated as currency. This is the third time the auction house has offered a hapawalu for sale.
The other coin is an 1881 pattern Hawaiian nickel, one of 200 minted. They were struck in Paris and presented to King David Kalakaua after he returned from his trip around the world.
Callender traveled to Oahu in February to pick up the coins from the widow, who asked the auction house not to reveal her identity.
As of Friday, there were nine bids made for the hapawalu, with the highest at $23,000. The nickel had six bidders with the top bid at $16,000.
"They're both doing really well and that's a week before the close of the auction," Callender said. "They are world-class rarities."
Bids can be placed at www.ha.com .
The auction was first reported by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.