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Hawaii Brown Seal WWII Emergency Notes – Full Rarity & Value Guide

Quick Summary (Direct Answer Format)

Hawaii Emergency Notes are special brown-seal U.S. banknotes issued in 1942 during WWII (Series 1935A for $1 Silver Certificates and Series 1934 for $5, $10, and $20 Federal Reserve Notes).
They feature the word “HAWAII” overprinted on the front and back.
If Japan had conquered Hawaii, the U.S. could have instantly demonetized all Hawaii notes, rendering captured currency worthless.
Values range from $25–$200 in circulated condition and $150–$2,500+ in uncirculated, with star notes being significantly rarer and more valuable.

What Are Hawaii Brown Seal Emergency Notes?

Hawaii Emergency Notes were created during WWII after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The U.S. government feared that if Japan invaded or captured Hawaii, millions of U.S. dollars would fall into enemy hands.

Solution:

Issue currency with:

A brown Treasury seal,
Brown serial numbers, and
A bold “HAWAII” overprint on the front and back.

These markings allowed the U.S. Treasury to instantly cancel their value if the islands were lost to Japan.

These notes circulated only in the Hawaiian Islands between 1942–1944.

How to Identify a Hawaii Emergency WWII Note

Collectors sometimes confuse them with brown-seal Legal Tender Notes — but Hawaii notes are unmistakable.

1. Brown Treasury Seal

Located on the right side of the note.
Unique to Hawaii emergency issues.

2. Brown Serial Numbers

Matching the seal.

3. Large “HAWAII” Overprint

Printed:

On the left side of the front, and
Covering the entire back of the note

4. Wartime Series Only

Issued only as:

$1 Silver Certificate – Series 1935A
$5 Federal Reserve Note – Series 1934
$10 Federal Reserve Note – Series 1934
$20 Federal Reserve Note – Series 1934 (scarce)

5. Brown Seal Only

No blue or green seals exist for Hawaii emergency notes — brown is mandatory.

Why Hawaii Notes Were Issued: The Full History

Immediately after Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941), military leadership feared:

A second attack
Full occupation of the Hawaiian Islands

Pearl Harbor was the main U.S. naval base in the Pacific.
If Hawaii fell, enemy forces could obtain massive amounts of U.S. currency for intelligence, sabotage, or black-market trade.

⭐ The Emergency Currency Plan

In January 1942, the U.S. introduced:

Specially marked notes
Restricted for use only in Hawaii
Redeemable elsewhere only after a strict exchange process

⭐ Emergency Powers

If Japan captured Hawaii:

All Hawaii brown-seal notes would become worthless immediately
Non-Hawaii U.S. currency would remain valid

This made Hawaii note the safest wartime currency for the Pacific theater.

Hawaii Emergency Notes – Full Value Guide (All Denominations)

Below is a complete pricing breakdown for each type.
Values assume no tears, stains, or damage.

$1 Hawaii Emergency Silver Certificate – Series 1935A

Most common Hawaii note, but still far scarcer than standard $1 silver certificates.

Value Chart

Condition	Regular	Star Note
VG–Fine	$25–$40	$125–$250
Very Fine	$40–$60	$250–$400
XF	$60–$90	$400–$600
AU	$90–$140	$600–$900
Uncirculated	$140–$220	$900–$1,500
Gem CU 65+	$250–$400	$1,500–$2,500+

Notes:

Easiest denomination to find
Star notes are significantly scarcer

$5 Hawaii Emergency Federal Reserve Note – Series 1934

Scarcer than the $1 and much more popular among collectors.

Value Chart

Condition	Regular	Star Note
VG–Fine	$75–$125	$350–$700
Very Fine	$125–$170	$700–$1,100
XF	$170–$250	$1,100–$1,600
AU	$250–$380	$1,600–$2,300
Uncirculated	$380–$650	$2,300–$4,000
Gem CU 65+	$700–$1,000	$4,000–$7,000+

Notes:

Often found worn because of heavy wartime circulation
High-grade survivors are rare

$10 Hawaii Emergency Federal Reserve Note – Series 1934

One of the rarest standard WWII emergency notes, especially in high grade.

Value Chart

Condition	Regular	Star Note
VG–Fine	$125–$180	$500–$1,000
Very Fine	$180–$250	$1,000–$1,500
XF	$250–$375	$1,500–$2,500
AU	$375–$600	$2,500–$3,500
Uncirculated	$600–$1,200	$3,500–$7,000
Gem CU 65+	$1,200–$1,800+	$7,000–$12,000+

Notes:

Scarce in any grade
High-grade stars are extremely rare

$20 Hawaii Emergency Federal Reserve Note – Series 1934

The rarest denomination was issued for Hawaii emergency use.

Value Chart

Condition	Regular	Star Note
VG–Fine	$200–$300	$600–$1,200
Very Fine	$300–$450	$1,200–$1,800
XF	$450–$700	$1,800–$2,800
AU	$700–$1,000	$2,800–$4,000
Uncirculated	$1,000–$2,000	$4,000–$9,000
Gem CU 65+	$2,000–$3,500+	$9,000–$15,000+