THE UNITED STATES CENTS OF THE YEAR 1794.
Philadelphia: 1926. Second edition, first printing. 4to, original blue cloth, gilt; front cover and spine lettered in gilt. 29, (3) pages; 4 collotype plates. Neatly annotated throughout, giving Hays numbers for the varieties. Various inserts laid in. Near fine. Item #7889
Signed in ink on the front free flyleaf by H.A. Sternberg, with a pencil note above in the hand of John Adams: “WHS to JWA 10/22/77.” A significant work by one of the most important American dealers of the period. Very scarce. It is generally believed that only 200 copies were printed, although John Adams suggests that “judging from present availability,” 300 copies may have been issued. This is copy No. 125. The inserts include photocopies of other copies of this work on which the names of the owners of the cents depicted have been recorded. Of this work, Dr. Sheldon wrote: “The Chapman monograph is illustrated by excellent plates, and it is perhaps the most generally adequate presentation of the subject. However, the older Hays numbers seem to have taken deep root in the affections of cent collectors, and it now appears likely that the name Hays will long be associated with this the most extensive one-date series of American coins.” In an interesting article appearing in the Fall, 1994 issue of The Asylum, Denis Loring presented his findings regarding the little known fact that there are two printings of this edition. He designates the first printing, most easily identified by the gilt lettering on the spine, as 26A, and the second printing as 26B and goes on to enumerate a number of textual differences observed in the copies he examined. The copy at hand is the first printing. Davis 228. Sigler 468. An attractive copy with an illustrious pedigree. Ex H.A. Sternberg Library; ex William H. Sheldon Library; ex John W. Adams Library (Kolbe Sale 44, lot 10); ex Al Boka Library.
Price: $350.00