Coins In Movies - His Majesty O'keefe (1954) - Yap Island Stone Money

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willieboyd2 Pillar of the Community United States 525 Posts	Posted 04/30/2017 10:51 am The famous "stone money" of the Pacific Island of Yap get their feature film appearance. The 1954 Warner Brothers film "His Majesty O'Keefe" is company to employ the residents to harvest coconuts and produce copra (coconut oil), and later becomes a "king" of the island. "King" O'Keefe on his throne The film stars Burt Lancaster as David O'Keefe and was mostly filmed in Fiji. It is based on a true story. Examples of the famous Yap stone "money" (sacred stones or "Fei" stones) are shown along with some generic gold coin props. Yap Island sacred stone "money" O'Keefe visits the Island of Palau where the Yap natives mine and manufacture the stones. Yap Islanders manufacturing a sacred stone Some coins appear as prop gold coins in the film: Money on the table The film has been added to my website under "Coins in about an Irish-American adventurer David O'Keefe, who lands in the South Pacific Island of Yap in 1870, sets up a Movies". https://www.brianrxm.com The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin Coins in Movies Coins on Television Edited by willieboyd2 05/01/2017 01:32 am Report this Post to the Staff

Spence Moderator United States 34408 Posts	Posted 04/30/2017 3:39 pm Thanks for posting such interesting stills from the movie. For folk interested learning more about these stones outside of the movie context, this is a potentially interesting thread: http://goccf.com/t/265712 "If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb "The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz Report this Post to the Staff
Joseph7420 Bedrock of the Community Canada 11922 Posts	Posted 05/01/2017 12:54 am Yap coins seems quite interesting, though they look very bulky and inconvenient. I wonder if a TPG would ever slab one? I mean, with all of those counterfeits being made nowadays... Quote: Some traditional prop gold coins also appear in the film. I am fairly certain those front two are Canadian 1 penny tokens from 1850 to 1857, so those two are actually copper. Using those two as a size comparison, the top right may be 10 yen from Japan (possibly made from 1871 to 1892, but there were trial strikes made in 1870), so that one would be gold. That top left one though... Maybe 5 kopecks from Russia? Edited by Joseph7420 05/01/2017 12:57 am Report this Post to the Staff
willieboyd2 Pillar of the Community United States 525 Posts	Posted 05/01/2017 01:30 am Joseph7420, thank you for the suggested identification of the copper coins used as gold coin props: I believe that they are as follows: The top left coin appears to be a Russia 5 kopeks, copper, 32.7mm, issued 1867 to 1912. The top right coin appears to be a Japan 2 sen, bronze, 31.8mm, issued 1873 to 1892. The bottom two coins appear to be Bank of Upper Canada tokens, copper, 33.4mm, issued 1850 to 1857. https://www.brianrxm.com The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin Coins in Movies Coins on Television Edited by willieboyd2 05/01/2017 01:33 am Report this Post to the Staff
Joseph7420 Bedrock of the Community Canada 11922 Posts	Posted 05/01/2017 7:11 pm Quote: The top right coin appears to be a Japan 2 sen, bronze, 31.8mm, issued 1873 to 1892. Ah, yes, that one makes much more sense than the gold one I suggested, specifically with it being a movie prop. I was not seeing any English lettering, but the 2 SEN is probably the blurry text on the right side. Report this Post to the Staff
cara Valued Member Uruguay 217 Posts	Posted 05/02/2017 10:14 pm Thanks willieboyd2! Interesting topic coins in movies. Have you seen the movie "The pianist" (2002)? There is a scene in the ghetto where Jewish merchants stop music to prove the authenticity of silver coins, hearing the sound when they drop the coins on a marble table. Seem to be 10 Zlotych? I am not sure, but I think it is an interesting adition to your topics. Edited by cara 05/02/2017 10:15 pm Report this Post to the Staff
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