2023-S Edith Kanaka'ole Proof

The San Francisco clad proof of the Edith Kanaka'ole quarter was distributed through the 2023 United States Mint Proof Set and the standalone American Women Quarters proof set, with a reported mintage of 829,526 pieces shared across set channels. Kanaka'ole was a chanter, a kumu hula, a teacher, a recording artist, and the co-founder of the Edith Kanaka'ole Foundation, which continues to publish and steward the family's body of chant scholarship. The proof finish on this coin produces a mirror field that frames Damstra's portrait with a clarity the circulation strike cannot match, and collectors building Mint set runs for the AWQ program typically begin here before moving to the silver proof.

Renata Gordon's sculpting gives the proof field a sharp transition between the frosted devices and the polished background, particularly across the inscription E ho mau i ka 'ike where each character sits crisply against the mirror. The S mintmark appears below IN GOD WE TRUST on the obverse, paired with Laura Gardin Fraser's 1932 Washington portrait. Specifications follow the clad proof standard: 91.67 percent copper and 8.33 percent nickel clad over a copper core, 5.67 grams, 24.3 millimeters, reeded edge. Authentication concentrates on the proof die polish lines visible under magnification, the depth of the frost on the floral elements, and the proper S mintmark style for the 2023 production year, which differs subtly from earlier S proof punches.

Most surviving examples grade PR68 to PR70 Deep Cameo at Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Ultra Cameo at Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), and the PR70 tier remains affordable for a modern issue at this mintage level. First-strike and early-release designations command light premiums in registry circles. Original government proof set packaging retains modest premiums on the secondary market, and intact early-release labels add a further increment for registry-set participants. Read the full Washington Quarters (American Women) series history.